EMBRACE Center awarded $13 mil to improve Black birthing outcomes

DR. DARA D. MÉNDEZ (Photo by Emmai Aliquiva)By many standards, the U.S. has the worst record among developed countries in protecting the health of birthing people and their babies during pregnancy, childbirth, and the year after birth.According to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), out of every 100,000 live U.S. births, 50 Black women die from pregnancy-related causes. This is known as “maternal mortality” and it’s one of the highest rates for all racial and ethnic groups.Black women also experience severe maternal complications at a rate that’s two times greater than White women.The same disparity is true for Black babies who have a death rate that’s more than two times higher than White babies.In Allegheny County, the rate of death for Black pregnant people was 91 deaths per 100,000 live births.To change this inequity and uplift Black birthing people and their children, our region has a strong history of partnership between community and academic organizations. These groups work together in underserved and excluded neighborhoods to improve maternal health outcomes for Black families.Recently, these local partners got a significant boost — a six-year, $13 million grant from the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) IMPROVE Initiative,...