• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Immunocompromised Care
    • Top Blacks in Healthcare
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Pregnancy & Childbirth Are Killing Black Women. Here’s Why

Pregnancy & Childbirth Are Killing Black Women. Here’s Why

America is one of the most developed nations in the world. Deaths from illnesses that were once considered a death sentence like polio, smallpox, tuberculosis and AIDS, are falling dramatically and people are living longer.

So, nowadays, if you hear that women are dying during childbirth at alarming rates, most people would think that it would be in lower-developed, third-world countries without all of the technological advancements we have here in the United States, right?

Well, if you thought that, then you’d be wrong. Dead wrong. In fact, women are dying more during childbirth in the U.S., now more than ever.

A woman in the U.S., where the maternal death rate more than doubled between 1987 and 2013, is more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than in any country but Mexico among the 31 industrialized countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that reported data.

You May Also Like
Learn About Merck's Research Studies for Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Every year, around 700 women in the United States die as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications. As many as 60,000 expectant mothers suffer problems that come close to costing them their lives. But the women who get hit hardest are Black women. Roughly 65,000 women experience a near miss.

(Stars like Cardi B, Serena Williams and Beyonce have opened up about birthing issues)

Black women are between three and four times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related complication than White women. Black women are also twice as likely to suffer a problem so severe that they almost die, referred to as a near miss. The racial disparity transcends education and income levels, unraveling common assumptions about who suffers in our health care system.

Many theories exist as to why this is: persistent poverty, large numbers of women without adequate health insurance, risk factors related to stress and discrimination.

“I don’t want to sound an alarm that every Black woman who gets pregnant should be like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m going to die.’ Because that isn’t the case,” says Haywood L. Brown, M.D., president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “We just want people to know that ‘I might be at a little higher risk because I’m a woman of color, regardless of what side of the track I’m on.'”

You May Also Like
Real Housewives Star Describes Terrifying Medical Experience!

In some rural counties and dense cities alike, the racial disparity in maternal deaths is jaw-dropping: Chickasaw County, Mississippi, for instance, has a maternal death rate for women of color that’s higher than Rwanda’s. In New York City, Black women are 12 times more likely than White women to die of pregnancy-related causes—and the disparity has more than doubled in recent years.

But this risk is even higher in the state of Texas. African American women are dying of pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes in Texas at stunningly high rates.

The maternal death rate in Texas after 2010 reached “levels not seen in other U.S. states,” according to a report compiled for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, based on figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s almost “crisis-level” some argue.

Continue Reading

The Latest In Womens Health

5 UTI-Fighting Smoothies

Getting a UTI (urinary tract infection) is beyond annoying. The best cure is prevention. Give your body a fighting chance with these 5 smoothies that may both prevent and treat UTIs. Blue-Razz Smoothie This concoction combines the power of blueberries read more about 5 UTI-Fighting Smoothies

Pregnant? Here’s What To Expect At That First OB Appointment

This month we are going to break down that all-important first prenatal visit and specifically what you can expect. Don’t forget to check out our book Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pregnancy But Were Too Afraid or Embarrassed read more about Pregnant? Here’s What To Expect At That First OB Appointment
7 Natural Ways To Enhance Your Libido

7 Natural Ways To Enhance Your Libido

‘Getting into the mood’ couldn’t be further from reality, especially after having a baby. This is exactly where I found myself weeks, and even months, after my little one arrived. I asked myself, what could possibly be wrong with me? read more about 7 Natural Ways To Enhance Your Libido
fertility specialist

Ready to Start a Family? 10 Signs It’s Time for a Fertility Consultation

Fertility challenges are a common concern for many individuals and couples aspiring to start a family. For those dealing with fibroids, noncancerous growths in the uterus, the journey to parenthood can be particularly daunting. Fibroids can have a significant impact read more about Ready to Start a Family? 10 Signs It’s Time for a Fertility Consultation

Sleeping Naked: 4 Reasons Why Doctors Say It’s Healthy

Sleeping is one of my favorite activities and not just because of its rejuvenating qualities or its ability to give me a break from reality. Laying it down at night also gives me the opportunity to feel cool sheets on read more about Sleeping Naked: 4 Reasons Why Doctors Say It’s Healthy
iron deficiency anemia

10% Of All Black Women Suffer From This

There are so many diseases that are higher in Black women than any other ethnicity. Up to 10 percent or more of adult women under 49 years suffer from a number of health issues like heart diseases and fibroids. But read more about 10% Of All Black Women Suffer From This

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

4 Ways To Be Intimate Without Sex

intimate without sex

Benefits of Oil Pulling

benefits of oil pulling

Maintaining Your Sex Life During & After Menopause

sex life menopause

7 Signs Of DME And What To Do About It

signs of diabetic macular edema

Morning Showers Vs. Nighttime Showers: Which Is Better For Your Health?

showers
Find a Culturally Sensitive Doctor

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Resource Centers

  • Clinical Trials
  • Wellness on the Yard
  • Cancer
  • Immunocompromised Care
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.