The pandemic has only exacerbated the racial disparities in birth outcomes, but new legislation focused on reducing Black maternal deaths provides a beacon of hope.

While the United States was already in the midst of a maternal health crisis before the pandemic hit, for women of color, especially Black women, things went from bad to worse. It’s an ongoing health scandal we should all be talking about more, and I hope that my new book, The Pain Gap: How Sexism and Racism in Healthcare Kill Women, will help start those crucial conversations.

Women of color are currently two to three times more likely to die giving birth in America, but it is Black women who are paying the highest price. Studies show that they are 243 percent more likely to die than their white counterparts: They have a death rate of 40.8 per 100,000 births, while white birthing people have a rate of 14.7 per 100,000. Black women are also more likely than Asian or Latina women to die from pregnancy-related complications regardless of their education level or their income.

We know that the majority of these women are dying needless, preventable deaths, because we have the medical expertise to prevent and manage pregnancy complications. So why is this crisis ongoing?

The reasons, of course, are complicated. Black Americans are infected with COVID-19 at nearly three times the rate of white Americans, and studies show that the virus is even deadlier during pregnancy. What’s more, during the early days of the pandemic, many hospitals implemented the “one-person policy,” a rule that allowed only one person to attend a birth, making pregnant women choose between family members, increasing their isolation. This policy disproportionately impacted women of color, especially Black women, who are more likely to hire a doula to advocate on their behalf and provide support during labor.

Of course, racial disparities in risk factors related to pregnancy such as hypertension, anemia, and gestational diabetes also play a big role, and are worsened by stress related to racial inequality and health care, which skyrocketed during the pandemic.

Read more- https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a38094736/americas-black-maternal-health-crisis/