Black Maternal Health Week

It’s BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK (April 11 – 17). This is a topic that is near and dear to me as a black woman and mom who experienced complications during my first childbirth. Let’s start with a moment of silence for all the women who lost their lives during pregnancy, at delivery, or after delivery.

Each year about 700 women die in the United States as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications. Sadly, 2 in 3 deaths are preventable. An additional 50,000 women have unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery with serious short- or long-term health consequences. Furthermore, racial disparities exist. Black women are 3X more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Various factors contribute to these disparities, such as variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias.

The recognition of urgent maternal warning signs and provision of timely treatment and quality care can prevent many pregnancy-related deaths. It is important that we work collectively to reduce maternal mortality. If you or a loved one is pregnant, the following steps will help to prevent pregnancy- related deaths:

Talk to a healthcare provider if anything doesn’t feel right or is concerning. If you are unable to communicate your concerns to your provider, you may be able to reach out to a local doula or healthcare professional, who may advocate on your behalf.

Know and seek immediate care if experiencing any of the urgent maternal warning signs. Please note that this list may not cover every symptom you may experience. As noted above, please talk to your healthcare provider, if you feel something isn’t right. Be sure you tell them you are pregnant or were pregnant within the last year.

-Headache that won’t go away or gets worse over time

-Dizziness or fainting

-Changes in your vision

-Fever of 100.4 °F or higher

-Extreme swelling of hands or face

-Thoughts about harming yourself or baby

-Trouble breathing

-Chest pain or fast-beating heart

-Severe nausea and throwing up

-Severe belly pain that doesn’t go away

-Baby’s movement stopping or slowing during pregnancy

-Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during pregnancy

-Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking after pregnancy

-Severe swelling, redness, or pain of your leg or arm

-Overwhelming tiredness

Document and share pregnancy history during each medical care visit for up to 1 year after delivery.

Maintain ongoing healthcare and social support systems before, during, and after care.