Black Maternal Health Disparities

TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO DENNIS TING: It was supposed to be a joyful time for Allison Moore, a Virginia woman learning she would become a mother to a baby girl named Peyton. ALLISON MOORE (PATIENT): I found out on Christmas day of 2021. DENNIS TING: But 20 weeks into her pregnancy, Allison felt something wasn’t right. ALLISON MOORE: And the next thing I know, I hear “whoosh.” DENNIS TING: Allison was rushed to Eastern Virginia Medical School. After several days in the hospital, the expectant mother realized something was wrong. ALLISON MOORE: And when the nurse came in, she was looking for her, I said, ‘She’s gone.’ And about 10 minutes after that, I became sick. DENNIS TING: Allison’s story is not unique. In the United States, Black women face significantly higher rates of health complications and death during pregnancy and childbirth when compared to white women. And most of these maternal deaths are preventable. DR. LINDSAY ROBBINS (DIR., EVMS CENTER FOR MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH EQUITY): Those numbers show that Black women die about 2.5, 2.6 times higher than white women. DENNIS TING: It’s a problem close to Dr. Lindsay Robbins’ heart, who has treated many Black women through their...