America has a maternal health crisis, and it is rooted in our nation’s long history of racism that persists to this day. The US is one of the most dangerous high-income countries in which to give birth. It is especially perilous for women of color: Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die in pregnancy, at child birth and in the following year than White women, and Indigenous women 2 to 3 times more likely.
To achieve birth equity and justice—the idea that all who give birth should have healthy pregnancies, healthy babies and the ability to thrive—we must dismantle the structural racism and health inequities that fuel these disparities. This must be a starting point as we look to address a system that is failing women in every state every day.
The above is an excerpt of a piece originally published on CNN.
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