Every expecting parent deserves the best health care experience for a healthy pregnancy and baby. Yet our health care system does not treat Black women and their babies equally. Many of the higher rates of poor birth outcomes experienced by African-American moms and babies, such as low birth-weight, premature births and even infant and maternal death, are due to implicit bias and structural racism in the health care system. We have to change the system today to protect tomorrow’s Black Legacy.
Black infants in San Diego are nearly 3 times more likely to
die than White infants.
Black infants in San Diego are nearly 60% more likely to be born
premature and nearly 2 times more likely to be born with low
birth-weight than White infants.
California’s Black mothers are over 3 times more likely to die
due to pregnancy or delivery complications than White mothers.
These disparities persist irrespective of factors such as the
mother’s income or education.
San Diego’s Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) and its Black Legacy
Now campaign are working to raise awareness and compel action to
ensure we work together to reduce the inequities experienced by Black
women, babies and families, and ensure optimal pregnancies and birth
outcomes for all people while tackling issues such as structural
racism and inequality.
If you are expecting, or currently have a baby, you deserve the best care possible. Yet despite the same levels of education, insurance coverage, and preventive care, Black women are 3x more likely than White women to die during pregnancy and their babies are 60% more likely to be born premature. This is due to racial bias.
Until we eliminate systemic discrimination in health care, there are steps women and their partners can take to know their rights and ensure a healthy birth experience.
Resources and information are critical to building education about the role systemic racism and bias, particularly in health care settings, plays in contributing to poor outcomes such as low birthweight, premature birth, infant and maternal deaths in African Americans. Share them to further raise awareness and inspire action to end these inequities once and for all.
Share information about services, such as the Black Infant Health Program to expecting and current moms and get them connected to resources and care.
Are you a health care professional? Visit our Information for Health Care Professionals page for special calls to action.
For more reading and information, see below:
"Racism, not race, causes health disparities… "
Joia Crear-Perry, MD, Institute for Healing & Justice in Medicine.