The Injustice of Childbirth for Black US Americans
If Serena Williams’ birth story of her daughter shows us anything about the US healthcare system, it’s that pregnant Black women and newborn Black babies face clear injustices for no other reason than the color of their skin.
Serena Willams—a famous, wealthy, star athlete—was almost a statistic when doctors and nurses didn’t listen to her concerns about her health history and pain shortly after she gave birth. The US has some of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality among the wealthier countries in the world, and Black women and newborns in the US are three to four times more at risk than White women and newborns.
Of the pregnancy-related deaths that happen in the US each year, two-thirds of them are preventable. Studies done on pregnancy-related deaths show that of all the factors considered—education, income, etc.—the one that makes a difference in risk to both mothers and babies was race. For babies, those born to Black mothers are much more likely to die within their first year. In fact, Black babies are over twice as likely to not survive than their White counterparts.
The role of systemic racism
Racism contributes to these injustices not only during pregnancy or the first year of a baby’s life. Studies show that Black women undergo a biological process called “weathering” caused by stressors of racism, discrimination, and sexism (per the Center for American Progress). Weathering causes a number of issues with pregnant Black women and subsequently their babies, including preeclampsia, eclampsia, embolisms, and mental health disorders. In any case of maternal mortality or infant mortality, the mother’s health has shown to be a key factor.
Outside of pregnancy, Black women face several other disadvantages when it comes to the US healthcare system and their overall wellbeing. Those who don’t have the advantage of higher incomes and educations are impacted by cutbacks to government programs like WIC (a supplemental nutrition program for moms and kids) and SNAP (food stamps), which can contribute to less access to nutritious food and essential health items. Many Black Americans, because of the systemic racism’s economic barriers, have less access to quality healthcare and insurance—which can also contribute to higher death rates of mothers and babies.
But even higher education levels and higher income levels don’t shield Black women and babies from risks, as they often do with White women and babies. Like in Serena’s case, Black women commonly face discrimination within healthcare systems—so even if they have good health insurance, access to quality healthcare, and resources to care for themselves and their babies without government supplements, they still are just as likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth or have their baby die within the first year.
Responding to this injustice
Issues like this one get straight to the heart of why dismantling racist policies and systems in the US is so important. In the case of Black mothers and babies, justice could literally save lives. Although many experts give Black women tools to educate themselves and advocate for themselves while they are pregnant and giving birth, the problem really lies within the healthcare system. In fact, one factor that seems to reliably improve both the health and likelihood of survival for Black women and babies is their having a Black doctor.
In addition to continued training and advocacy for better public health policies that can improve the health of communities of People of Color, we must hold healthcare systems accountable. It is imperative that they ensure all patients receive the same quality of care. We can seek this accountability through policy advocacy, education, calling for increased available birth options, and holding key stakeholders/politicians/local community leaders to their word in both eliminating racism and increasing quality of healthcare.
Learn more about how you can help Black moms and babies overcome disparities in the healthcare system:
Learn about these bills that were introduced to help combat maternal mortality, especially among Black US Americans, through increased healthcare coverage including coverage of doulas and other alternative birth methods:
Mamas First Act: https://www.policysource.org/bills/hr2751-116th-congress/
MOMMIES Act: https://www.policysource.org/bills/s1343-116th-congress/
Momnibus Act: https://blackmaternalhealthcaucus-underwood.house.gov/Momnibus
Learn more about the facts of racial disparities for Black mothers and babies: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/eliminating-racial-disparities-maternal-infant-mortality/
Check out this non-exhaustive list of resources, videos, and more talking about this problem, policy recommendations, and how you can help from Every Mother Counts: https://everymothercounts.org/anti-racist-reading/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwr4eYBhDrARIsANPywCjGYo-vSFcZOcz-OpOaHlZcXMv30oLruV3Um21EL3WpEETNnrlPbosaAgtsEALw_wcB
