BLACK. MAMAS. MATTER.
Black Mamas have always been the guide and bridge for families, communities, movements, and waves of change.
The time is now to invest in the advancement of the movement for racial and birth justice.
The historical atrocities we work against are deeply rooted in racial and reproductive oppression bent on controlling.
Black liberation must be countered with community activation and prioritizing Black Mamas across the African Diaspora.
In 2020, Black women were most disproportionately affected with a mortality rate of 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 19.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, and 18.2 deaths per 100,000 live births for White and Hispanic women, respectively (Source: CDC).
In 2020, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 3 times the rate for White women in the United States. Multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as lower quality healthcare, structural racism, and implicit bias from healthcare providers, and underlying chronic conditions. (Source: CDC)
The U.S. has an infant mortality rate of 5.4 per 1000 live births in 2020, with a health disparity among Black babies at a rate of 10.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019. (Source: CDC)
Research suggests that Black women receive a lower quality of care than White women, which increases the risk of severe maternal morbidity, especially when receiving obstetric care at predominantly Black serving hospitals. (Source: AJOG)
