The Other Maternal Health Crisis: Black Birthing People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing – Non Profit News

Image credit: Isabella Angélica on unsplash.com The dismal statistics on maternal health outcomes in the United States are well-known in health justice, health equity, and health philanthropy circles. Among developed nations, the United States has the worst maternal death rate. The maternal mortality rate is 2.5 times higher for Black women than their White counterparts, with Black women and birthing people being three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than their White counterparts. A small body of research is drawing critical attention to the mental strain attached to the experiences of Black women and birthing people during and following pregnancy. Black women’s babies are twice as likely to be born premature and, consequently, to die before their first birthday than are babies born to White women. And many American women do not have access to coverage for midwives, doulas, and other community health workers to help them overcome the challenges embedded within the US healthcare system. Socioeconomic determinants such as household income, housing conditions, employment, and access to health insurance affect maternal health outcomes. However, recent research has revealed that race is even more important than income when it comes to birth outcomes. Another crucial factor in...