Another Black Mother Dies...

American sprinter and long jumper Tori Bowie – a three-time Olympic medalist and a two-time world champion in track and field died from complications of childbirth.

Tianna Madison went into preterm labor and had a 26-week preemie.

Allyson Felix has pre-eclampsia and delivered her preemie at 32 weeks.

Tori Bowie had eclampsia and she and her baby both died. The saddest part, she was dead for 10 days before she was discovered by anyone. Black women and Black mothers deserve more love, care, and support!

The Race Gap in Maternal Mortality: Why Wealth Alone Won't Save Black Mothers

In 2020, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.9 times the rate for non-Hispanic White women (Source: CDC). That means Black women are almost three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than their white counterparts.

While wealth and socioeconomic status can undoubtedly make a difference in access to quality healthcare, it alone cannot address the root causes of this crisis. Just look below at the New York Times Article that references new data from California, a state that has passed the Women's Health Protection Act of 2021, which recognizes the right to access abortion as an intrinsic human right.

It is time to recognize that systemic racism and bias in healthcare are the underlying factors contributing to the ongoing epidemic of Black maternal mortality.

The Landscape in TN - Listen to this WPLN interview below.

Check out this interview from WPLN

"Between 2017 and 2020, 113 Tennesseans died from pregnancy-related causes, and Black people were 2.5 times more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts, according to the state’s 2022 Maternal Mortality Report.

In this episode, we’re speaking with an educator, a doula, a midwife and a doctor about some of the reasons behind this stark disparity and what needs to change to make birth a safer experience for parent and child.

But first, we’re talking with WPLN criminal justice reporter Paige Pfleger about gun bills in front of the Tennessee legislature this session.

Guests:

• Tia Freeman, sex educator with the Beyond Roe Collective

• Stephanie DeVane-Johnson, midwife and associate professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

• Dr. Rolanda Lister, maternal-fetal medicine physician at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center

• Kristin Mejia, doula and founder of Homeland Heart Collective"

The assault on abortion rights and reproductive justice presently taking place in Tennessee represents a direct threat to the well-being of Black mothers and infants. To help enhance maternal and infant mortality rates in Nashville, TN, please extend your support to Homeland Heart Collective.

Learn more about how racism is causing racial health disparities and take action by signing the Black Health Matters Pledge.