Black Maternal Health: Advocacy, awareness and answers

FLORIDA — Florida has some of the highest numbers of babies and mothers dying in the country — ranked in the top ten. However, maternal mortality is a worldwide issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the U.S. hundreds of people die during pregnancy or in the year after. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause. Fast Facts: Infant mortality is the death of a live-born baby during the first year of life. Maternal mortality (or death) is the term for when a mother dies from a pregnancy-related health issue or an existing condition exacerbated by pregnancy. It can occur at any time during pregnancy or in the 42 days after giving birth. Justice For All’s Saundra Weathers and Tammie Fields share the personal stories, highlighting the racial disparities during what is supposed to be the most magical time of our lives: childbirth. Story Quick Links St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch issued a proclamation designating April 11 – 17 as Black Maternal Health Week in the city of St. Pete. The city’s proclamation aligns with National Black Maternal Health Week, which also starts on April 11. The...