• Celebrity
    • Cardi B and Offset Cover
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Digital Cover – Method Man
    • Digital Cover – Zazie Beetz
    • Fashion News
    • Fashion House 2021
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO® Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • MAYBELLINE: FIT ME MATTE + PORELESS
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Build Your Legacy
    • Prudential – Dream & Plan with Confidence
    • Black History Month
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Holiday Gift Guide
    • Lifestyle News
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Festival
  • Events
    • Road to Festival
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • Entrepreneur Summit 2021
    • Wellness House
    • VAX & VIBES Louisiana
    • Girls United Summit 2021
    • She Got Now
    • Fashion House 2021
    • GU Back To School
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • Power Tools
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Cardi B and Offset Cover
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Digital Cover – Method Man
    • Digital Cover – Zazie Beetz
    • Fashion News
    • Fashion House 2021
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO® Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • MAYBELLINE: FIT ME MATTE + PORELESS
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Build Your Legacy
    • Prudential – Dream & Plan with Confidence
    • Black History Month
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Holiday Gift Guide
    • Lifestyle News
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Festival
  • Events
    • Road to Festival
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • Entrepreneur Summit 2021
    • Wellness House
    • VAX & VIBES Louisiana
    • Girls United Summit 2021
    • She Got Now
    • Fashion House 2021
    • GU Back To School
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • Power Tools
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Op-Ed

It's Time To Demand More When It Comes To Black Maternal Health

By Tasmiha Khan · Updated April 15, 2019

Mariam is a young woman with a graduate degree who is expecting soon. However, as a Black woman, even though she was born and raised in the United States, she has feared for her baby and her health. Previously when she gave birth in Minnesota, Mariam didn’t feel like her concerns were being addressed by her healthcare team.

“I felt like when I told them about my pain, it just fell on deaf ears,” she said.

Her educational and economic status was irrelevant. Her main educational outlet was her mother who gave birth to Mariam via C-section 30 years ago.

Mariam’s feelings of not being heard are especially concerning because currently, the maternal mortality rates the U. S. are alarmingly increasing beyond that of any other developed nation.

Black women are dying at four times the rate of white women. And, the United States is one of the only 13 countries in the world where maternal mortality rates are worse than they were 25 years ago. These outcomes persist, no matter how many terminal degrees you have or how much you make.

Close-up Of Doctor’s Hand Moving Ultrasound Transducer On Pregnant Woman’s Belly

Complications from pregnancy, labor, childbirth and even up to a year after can result in death for approximately 700-900 women each year.  It simply does not make sense to see such bizarre rates especially when the majority of these deaths can be prevented.  Although racism and sexism continue to flourish, the many social determinants of health such as the environment in which one is born, lives, learns, works, and plays should also be considered to tackle these horrendous rates. Health inequities, including access to care, ultimately need to be handled to ensure safe outcomes for mothers and their children.

While living in this country, Mariam along with the millions of other expectant mothers should not have to fear for their lives. The news of a baby should evoke joy instead of fear for families, particularly mothers. For this reason, the United States needs to ensure that every state is establishing Maternal Mortality Review Committees.

While our legislators and President signed H.R. 1318/S. 1112 to support states in putting an end to preventable maternal deaths, implicit bias training needs to be addressed as does the Maternal Care Access Reducing Emergencies (CARE) Act introduced by Senator Kamala Harris. Doing so would address implicit bias based on stereotypes through supporting special training programs in healthcare. In addition, this would provide incentives for maternal healthcare providers to reduce detrimental outcomes and racial health disparities.

Lives are at stake and we cannot keep waiting.

Supporting this legislation will allow us to understand why maternal deaths are happening in our country and help states in developing solutions to make sure no mother or her baby ever dies from preventable circumstances.

Currently, only about half of the states nationwide have made a maternal mortality review committee, and not every state has been successful in implementing a helpful standard in collecting data. As we plunge into Black Maternal Health Week, let us make an effort for mothers like Mariam to feel safe and comforted about their upcoming birthing experience. We must continue to share our stories and ask that our legislators address this maternal mortality crisis immediately. Lives are at stake and we cannot keep waiting.

Tasmiha Khan is an AAUW 2018-2019 Awardee and an Associate Campaign Director at MomsRising. Follow her @CraftOurStory to learn more

Share :
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2022 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now