Racism, Equity and Black Maternal Health in the US

There are persistent racial inequities in maternal health in the US where Black people are 2-3 times as likely to die of pregnancy-related causes and more likely to experience health related complications during and after pregnancy compared to white people. These deaths and pregnancy complications are preventable, pointing to systems and structures that contribute to adverse health but also the glaring racial inequities. These racial inequities are a result of a long history of oppression and structural racism that shapes life opportunities, experiences, and ultimately health. This includes the policies that shape opportunities, institutional practices in area of health and healthcare as well as the daily, chronic experiences of racism, sexism and other forms of oppression that send Black birthing people on a trajectory of adverse in the context of pregnancy and beyond.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand inequities in maternal health (including mortality and morbidity)

2. Understand the relationship between racism, oppression and maternal health