Black Women at Higher Risk: The Disturbing Reality of Maternal Mortality Rates

The federal government has launched a civil rights investigation into how Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles treats Black women who give birth at the hospital. The federal investigation stems from the tragic case of Kira Dixon Johnson. In April 2016, Kira Dixon Johnson lost her life after experiencing internal bleeding following a cesarean section. Although her baby, Langston Johnson, survived, Kira's untimely death sparked a national conversation about the racial disparities in Black maternal care. 

Racial disparities in maternal healthcare in the United States are a significant concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 700 women die each year in the U.S. due to pregnancy-related complications. The data reveals that a disproportionate number of these deaths occur among Black women, who are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The National Vital Statistics System's report further highlights the widening gap in maternal mortality rates, with non-Hispanic Black women experiencing a rate 2.6 times higher than non-Hispanic white women...Read More

Why is this still happening?