Black Maternal Health Week shines light on disparities: Addressing systemic challenges to improve outcomes for Black pregnant women 

Dr. James Washington III

Kaiser Permanente Riverside County

With Black Maternal Health Week recognized nationally April 11-17, a spotlight is much-needed specifically on Black pregnant women, who face significantly more challenges during their pregnancies compared to other races due to a combination of systemic, social and medical factors.

Consider the following troubling statistics, according to multiple studies:

• Higher Mortality Rates: Black women in the U.S. are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. This disparity persists across all income and education levels.
• Bias, Discrimination, Racism: Long-standing bias and even racism in health care contributes to these disparities. Black women often receive lower quality care, face discrimination and have their concerns dismissed by healthcare providers. At Kaiser Permanente, health care teams are committed to providing high-quality care to all of its members equally regardless of race.
• Economic Barriers: A significant proportion of Black women rely on Medicaid for pregnancy and postpartum care. States with less generous Medicaid benefits have worse maternal health outcomes.
• Health Conditions: Black women are more likely to experience life-threatening conditions such as preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage and blood clots.

Studies show that maternal death rates in the U.S. are higher than all other high-income countries, and the disparities in these deaths are significant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the racial disparities in maternal death rates are significant, as evidenced by the fact that Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

To improve Black maternal health outcomes, efforts to address the crisis are critically important. They include:

• Policy Reforms: Congressional initiatives like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act aim to address these disparities through comprehensive policy reforms.

• Community-Based Solutions: Strengthening community-based organizations that advocate for better care and resources for Black mothers is crucial.
• Education and Training: Improving medical education to address implicit biases and promote culturally competent care is essential.

Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that includes policy changes, community support and systemic reforms. By working together, we can improve maternal health outcomes for Black women and ensure they receive the respectful quality care they deserve. It’s critical to ensure Black women feel at ease, have all their questions answered and are provided the high-quality prenatal care they deserve. It’s also important to improve communication and understand the culture.

At Kaiser Permanente and elsewhere, more and more doctors understand that now, and that’s good news for everyone. Learn more at kp.org/pregnancy.

Dr. James Washington III is the Assistant Chief of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Kaiser Permanente Riverside County, NICU Medical Director at Kaiser Permanente Moreno Valley Medical Center and NICU Assistant Medical Director at Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center. He is also a clinical assistant professor at both Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine and UC Riverside.