Racial Disparity in

Maternal &
Neonatal Mortality
SOC 1020 | Rebekah Wilkins
Table of Contents
• What is going on in our hospitals?
• Who is Affected?
• According to the CDC
• Why is this happening?
• What are the doctor’s missing?
• Black Births Matter
• What can be done to prevent the loss of future lives?
• Conclusion
• References
 What is going on in our hospitals?
● Women nationwide are suffering and dying alongside the difficulties of
pregnancy, due to the lack of concern that their healthcare providers are
giving them.
● Women of color over the age of 30 are more susceptible to pregnancy-related
deaths.
● According to the CDC, these pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live-
births for women of color are 4 to 5 times higher than Caucasian women.
● Many of these deaths have been deemed preventable if the healthcare
provider would have encouraged more pre-natal appointments and taken the
women’s concerns during these appointments more seriously.
Who is affected?
• Black, Native American, and Alaska Native women are 2-3x more likely to suffer
through pregnancy-related deaths.

• Education levels can significantly impact PRMR. Black women with at least a
college degree are 5 times more likely to die than a white women with the same
education.

• Age can also play a significant factor. Black women and/or American
Indian/Alaska Native who are older than 30 are 4-5 times more likely to pass due
to their pregnancy than white people.

• Black women who are unmarried or lack a support system are also more likely to
pass.
 According to the CDC:
• Black women average rates of 40.8
PRM per 100,000 live births.

• Alaska Native/American Indian

women average about 29.7 PRM
per 100,000 live births.

• Asian/Pacific Islander women

average 13.5 PRM per 100,000 live
births.

• White women average 12.7 PRM

per 100,000 live births.

• Hispanic women average 11.5 PRM

per 100,000 live births

Information gathered from:

Racial and Ethnic Disparities Continue in Pregnancy-Related Deaths. (2019, September 06).
Retrieved July 30, 2020, from
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0905-racial-ethnic-disparities-pregnancy-deaths.html
Chart Made at: visme.com
Why is this happening?
• Researchers have concluded that about 60% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable.
For a death to be considered preventable if it was determined that the chance of death could
have been averted by patient, community, provider, health facility, and system factors.

• Several contributing factors have been tied to the inequality. Most have to do with the
inequalities that people of color face outside of their pregnancies.
Community Health Facility Patient Provider System
Lack of access to Limited experience Lack of knowledge of Missed or delayed Inadequate receipt
clinical care with obstetric warning signs or diagnosis of care
Unstable housing emergencies need to seek care Inappropriate or Case coordination or
Lack of Lack of appropriate Nonadherence to delayed treatment management
transportation personnel or medical regimens or Lack of continuity of Guiding policies,
options services advice care procedures, or
Obesity and chronic Lack of tools to standards not in
diseases. ensure quality care place

Information gathered from:

What are the doctor’s missing?
• Many complications include hemorrhage, infections, amniotic embolisms,
thrombotic pulmonary embolisms, hypertensive disorders, anesthesia
complications, cerebrovascular accidents, cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular
conditions, and non-cardiovascular conditions.

• Although there are other contributing factors, most cases fall to the
responsibility of healthcare providers.

• After their loved one dies due to their pregnancy complications, many family
members share the endless reports of concerns which were not addressed
until it was too late.
 Black Births Matter
• Many people have begun to rally behind the families that have lost someone special de to the negligence of
their healthcare providers. Many have started the rally name of Black Births Matter to coincide with the
Black Lives Matter movement. Several current cases have sparked this movement in support of those who
have lost their lives. (Click on images to read their stories)

Kira Johnson Sha-Asia Washington Amber Isaac

Passed after her husband
reported blood in her catheter
and trembling and nurses
showed no rush to assess the
situation.
(Photo Courtesy from linked article)
Passed during an emergency
C-Section in which her heart
stopped during surgery
(Photo Courtesy from linked article)
Passed during an emergency
C-Section after sharing her
story throughout her
pregnancy of doctors brushing
her complaints off.
(Photo Courtesy from linked article)
What can be done to prevent future lives from
being lost?
What can the people do? What can hospitals and
healthcare systems do?
Call for action when an instance of Address bias and prejudice from
this has been recorded. their employees. (Doctors,
secretaries, nurses, etc.)
Share stories with local
representatives and continue “Implement standardized protocols
pushing for change. in quality improvement initiatives,
especially among facilities that
serve disproportionately affected
communities.” (CDC, 2015)
What can the government do?
Local MMRC (Maternal Mortality
Review Committees) can apply and
develop solutions to identify and
reduce racial disparities.
The CDC has awarded over $45
million to continue supporting
MMRC’s to erase maternal
mortality.
 Conclusion
Minority women are being placed in dangerous situation creating the kids that
will be the future of our country. Health care workers who are getting paid to
ensure the wellbeing of their patients are getting away with having biased views
and it is costing the lives of many innocent Americans. Despite the education
received to obtain a license to work in the medical field, many still lack the
proper education to treat patients equally and look beyond the color of the skin.
By calling out this systemic issue, we can help produce a more efficient and
equal society.
References
Branigin, A. (2020, May 08). 26-Year-Old Black Woman Dies Giving Birth After She Was Neglected by Doctors for Weeks, Family Says. Retrieved
July 29, 2020, from https://theglowup.theroot.com/26-year-old-black-woman-dies-giving-birth-after-she-was-1843342258

Good Morning America. (n.d.). 26-year-old Black woman's death during childbirth leads to calls for change. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/calls-change-26-year-black-woman-dies-childbirth-71698417

Howell EA;Hebert P;Chatterjee S;Kleinman LC;Chassin MR;. (n.d.). Black/white differences in very low birth weight neonatal mortality rates
among New York City hospitals. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18267978/

Howell, E. (2018, June). Reducing Disparities in Severe Maternal Morbidity and Mortality. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5915910/

Paige, E., LEMIRE, E., & Hogan, K. (n.d.). Family demands justice after Black woman dies during emergency C-section at NYC hospital.
Retrieved July 29, 2020, from
https://www.kbtx.com/2020/07/12/family-demands-justice-after-black-woman-dies-during-emergency-c-section-at-nyc-hospital/

Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. (2020, February 04). Retrieved July 29, 2020, from
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/pregnancy-mortality-surveillance-system.htm

Racial and Ethnic Disparities Continue in Pregnancy-Related Deaths. (2019, September 06). Retrieved July 29, 2020, from
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0905-racial-ethnic-disparities-pregnancy-deaths.html

Villarosa, L. (2018, April 11). Why America's Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/magazine/black-mothers-babies-death-maternal-mortality.html

Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017. (2019, May 09).
Retrieved July 29, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6818e1.htm?s_cid=mm6818e1_w