Why Pregnancy Is So Dangerous for Black Women | Perspective

The U.S. maternal mortality rate just set a disturbing new record, and Black women face the highest risk. Sheena Williams, RN, explores the bias, fear and miscommunication that underlie the sobering statistics, and points out possible solutions. Midwives, anyone? In the United States, Black women are about three times as likely as white women to die from a pregnancy-related cause, and Black infants are twice as likely as white infants to die before the age of one. How can we change this?

🩺🥼 Vitals is a series that’s taking a new approach to health and medicine. Hosts Alok Patel, MD, and Sheena Williams RN are going beyond the headlines to answer your questions on the latest health topics. No judgment, no taboos. Just 100% science-based information.

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Find our experts and hosts:

:: Sheena William, RN ::
Twitter: @Keepingitkinky1
Instagram: @keepingitkinky

:: Alok Patel, MD ::
Website: http://alokpatelmd.com/
Twitter: @AlokPatelMD
Instagram: @alokpatelmd

:: Yolanda Fowler, RN ::
Instagram: @mzyanni_83

:: Stephanie Williams, DNP, CNM, CPM ::
Instagram: @doctor_midwife

How Is Maternal Mortality Defined?
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealt...
In the United States, maternal mortality is calculated by reviewing death records, linked birth records and fetal death records, where available, all of which are collected through the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (PMSS). This system defines a pregnancy-related death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within on year of the end of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy.

the World Health Organization (WHO) uses slightly different guidelines, defining a maternal death as, “the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes.”

What Are the Leading Causes of Maternal Mortality?
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sh...
According to the WHO, five complications or conditions account for 75 percent of all maternal deaths.
severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth);
infections (usually after childbirth);
high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia);
complications from delivery; and
unsafe abortion.

CDC: Maternal Mortality Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealt...

U.S. Maternal Mortality Rates (2020)
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/...

00:00 Intro to maternal mortality
01:28 Midwives, the solution?
03:17 What do midwives do differently?
04:48 Real talk: change from within the system