Black Maternal Health Workgroup

In the U.S., Black women are disproportionately impacted, dying at four times the rate of white women during pregnancy and childbirth. Black women are also twice as likely to suffer from life-threatening pregnancy-related complications. Trends are similar for Delaware. Maternal mortality rates are on the rise, as are risk factors for pregnancy-related complications such as obesity, pre-eclampsia, and high blood pressure. Their infant’s fair no better, dying at more than twice the rate of white infants.  Disparity gaps remain stubbornly persistent despite efforts to improve. A growing body of literature indicates structural racism is a major contributing factor to these disparities, which have been largely unexplored or even mentioned until recently. There is a growing recognition more must be done if Delaware is to close its disparity gap.    The Black Maternal Health Workgroup strives to bring increased awareness of the disparity gap for African American women and their infants by developing a community-informed solution for closing the disparity gap and understanding the impact of structural racism of maternal and infant health disparities.