NEW RESEARCH STUDY SHOWS THAT BLACK WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE UNNECESSARY C-SECTIONS

There are many necessary reasons why women undergo cesarean sections in order to birth. However, according to a new research study, Black mothers are more likely to receive unnecessary C-sections. Pregnant mother. PEXELS.COM A recent study published in August of this year highlights significant disparities in C-section rates among Black mothers compared to those from other racial groups. Analyzing data from nearly 1 million births across 68 New Jersey hospitals, the research found that Black mothers were 25% more likely to undergo C-sections than their white counterparts. This trend suggests that medical professionals may have a lower threshold for performing unscheduled C-sections on Black mothers, often influenced by implicit biases and systemic racism in healthcare. Jasmine Johnson, M.D. commented on the study to Parents.com, expanding on the bias and racial implications. “For example, a medical team may inaccurately hold the belief that Black women are less likely to have successful vaginal deliveries (definitely not rooted in any medical fact), and so the implicit or explicit bias of the team may lead them to be less likely to give Black patients more time to progress in labor compared to their white counterparts.” Pregnant mother. PEXELS.COM Irogue Igbinosa, MD, agrees with Dr....