Siona Wadhawan

Racial Disparities in Maternal Health in the U.S.

Introduction

Racial disparities in maternal health in the u.s.. Examine racial disparities in US maternal health. Black birth givers face 3x higher mortality, rooted in medical racism and slavery's legacy. Address history & find solutions.

Abstract

Black birth givers are 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy than their white counterparts (Center for Disease Control, 2022). While global maternal mortalities have been declining since the early 2000’s, U.S. deaths have increased drastically, more than doubling between 2000 and 2014. Black mothers are dying at the highest rates of maternal mortality than any other racial group in America (Patterson et al., 2022).  Amid the reversal of Roe vs. Wade this year, access to quality healthcare continues to be under attack, impacting the livelihoods of birthing people across the nation. Now more than ever, failures in the American health system require critical attention. The disparities in maternal health outcomes are a direct result of medical racism which was born out of chattel enslavement in the U.S. The repercussions of slavery have enacted and continue to enact violence against Black mothers. It is crucial to address the historical roots of maternal health inequities in order to find solutions. This paper will examine the legacies of enslavement in America and its role in shaping modern racial disparities in maternal mortality rates in the US today. Additionally, it will explore Black women led alternatives to healthcare in order to find methods for mitigation. The research will address public health specialists and policymakers in order to emphasize the gravity of this issue and the need for action to address these disparities.

Review

This paper addresses a critically important and urgent public health crisis: the profound racial disparities in maternal health outcomes in the United States. The abstract immediately establishes the alarming statistics, noting that Black birth givers face a threefold higher risk of pregnancy-related death compared to their white counterparts, a trend occurring while overall global maternal mortalities decline. The authors compellingly argue that these disparities are not merely statistical anomalies but are direct consequences of medical racism rooted in the historical injustices of chattel enslavement, whose repercussions continue to enact systemic violence against Black mothers today. This central thesis frames a vital and historically informed critique of the American healthcare system's failures. The proposed paper outlines a comprehensive approach to examining these inequities. It intends to delve into the legacies of enslavement in America, meticulously tracing their role in shaping contemporary racial disparities in maternal mortality rates. Furthermore, a crucial and innovative aspect of the research is its commitment to exploring Black women-led alternatives in healthcare. This focus on community-driven solutions offers a promising pathway for identifying methods of mitigation and fostering equitable care. The research is explicitly targeted at public health specialists and policymakers, signaling its intent to not only raise awareness but also to catalyze concrete action in response to this grave issue. Overall, this paper promises to be a timely and essential contribution to the literature on maternal health equity. By directly linking current disparities to the historical and ongoing impacts of medical racism stemming from slavery, it moves beyond superficial analyses to address the foundational causes of these tragic outcomes. The inclusion of Black women-led alternatives is particularly valuable, offering practical, culturally informed strategies for change. This research has the strong potential to inform policy, guide public health interventions, and galvanize critical attention from its target audience, providing a robust framework for understanding and ultimately dismantling the systemic barriers that perpetuate racial inequities in maternal health.

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