How the medical system is killing black mothers
By: Meghan Mccarty
Tags: Womens Health, Racism, Healthcare

The United States has an unacceptable maternal mortality rate for one of the world’s most developed countries. American women die in childbirth at a higher rate than in any other affluent nation. Unfortunately, this issue extends further to black women; In the U.S., childbirth is more dangerous for Black women than white women.

According to the CDC, Black women in the U.S. are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. The disproportionate death toll of black mothers is the main reason why the U.S. maternal mortality rate is so much higher than other developed countries.

The issue is amplified by unconscious biases in the U.S. medical system, affecting quality of care. Black mothers from all backgrounds are not being listened to when they report signs of possible complications during pregnancy and birth. Not only are their pleas for help brushed off, but traumatic childbirth experiences are so common that one quarter of Black women report withstanding disrespect and abuse from hospital personnel.

Black expectants and new mothers often report that doctors and nurses don’t take their pain seriously, a pattern displayed in various studies that show pain is often undertreated in black patients experiencing all kinds of conditions.

These racial imbalances in medical treatment and maternal mortality rates have persisted for decades, and continue to grow in some parts of the U.S. According to recent data, Black mothers in New York City are 12 times more likely to die than white mothers. From 2001–2005, the risk of death was just seven times higher.

For years the staggering number of deaths of Black women during and after childbirth gained little notoriety. That has changed recently, partly because of the high-profile deaths of black mothers like Dr. Shalon Irving and Kira Johnson. In addition, the delayed response to Serena Williams’ request for treatment of a post-delivery complication put a spotlight on medical biases against black women and maternal mortality rates.

In each of these cases, the mother or her family asked for help with warning signs of complications, such as severe pain and breathing issues. Their concerns were dismissed, which resulted in their preventable deaths. CDC data shows more than 60 percent of these tragedies are preventable if appropriate care is given in a timely manner. In order for this to be done, medical personnel must listen to black mothers.

The disparity becomes more worrying when well-off black women like Dr. Irving are dying at higher rates than white women. New York City offers another startling example: A 2016 analysis found that Black college-educated mothers were more likely to suffer severe complications of pregnancy or childbirth than white women who never graduated high school.

The fact that someone with Dr. Irving’s social and economic advantages is at higher risk highlights the far-reaching effects of this crisis. Black women risk death simply by becoming mothers and encountering bias in the U.S. healthcare system. This shows that Black mothers cannot escape systematic racism in the medical industry with good education and healthcare. There is inherent bias in the system that doesn’t value the lives of black women.