(StatePoint)

Held annually in April, Black Maternal Health Week is a campaign that supports awareness, activism and community-building​ to amplify ​the voices, perspectives and lived experiences of Black mothers.

Regardless of socioeconomic status, Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from pregnancy than their white counterparts. Pregnant Black women are also 23% more likely to have a heart attack, 57% more likely to have a stroke, 42% more likely to develop a blood clot in the lungs, and 71% more likely to develop muscle weakness.

With increasing evidence suggesting that the prenatal period impacts the lifelong physical and mental health of children, these statistics show how important it is to eliminate these inequities for the wellbeing of not only moms, but the next generation as well.

“Black mothers deserve far more than the current maternity and health care systems that have failed us and our families for generations. But there are sustainable solutions and actionable steps we can take—centered on physicians, midwives, doulas, and other care providers working together as holistic, collaborative care teams—to ensure Black Mamas receive comprehensive, culturally grounded care that honors our needs and supports thriving pregnancies and full, healthy lives,” says Angela D. Aina, executive director, BMMA, Inc.

According to advocates with the National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers, the following policies could help protect Black women during pregnancy and beyond:

  • Transforming the delivery of black maternal care by making investments in social drivers of health that influence maternal health outcomes.
  • Widening access to maternal health care services by extending Medicaid 12-month postpartum coverage nationwide, and by growing and diversifying the doula workforce.
  • Addressing structural barriers and systemic stigma that prevent Black mothers from receiving treatment and support services for prenatal and postpartum complications.
  • Eliminating economic inequities by strengthening equal-pay legislation and raising the minimum wage to at least $17 an hour.
  • Passing legislation that guarantees access to paid leave to meet the needs of pregnant people, caregivers and families.
  • Collecting and using intersectional data to better understand the causes of the maternal health crisis and inform solutions to address it.
  • Growing and diversifying the perinatal workforce to ensure Black mothers’ care teams include providers who share their background, and to ensure their care teams include a range of clinical care providers, from obstetricians and midwives to nonclinical support personnel, such as care navigators and community health workers.

To get involved, visit https://ncit.org/take-action/ to learn how you can help ensure mothers and their babies have a strong start.

“A future where all individuals, families and communities thrive is possible. Everyday Americans can chip in by contacting their elected officials and lawmakers and telling them to support policies that protect the health of Black mothers,” says Christy Ross, co-chair of the National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers.