The Black Maternal Health Crisis
Introduction
Thinking I might want to look into it, my AP Capstone Research teacher informed me of a recent phenomenon in the healthcare field: an increasing maternal mortality rate in America. The reason why this issue, in particular, was so eye-catching to me, her, and the rest of the people who saw it on the news that morning was because this problem only seemed to affect black women. Now that many significant findings have been reported since this discovery made headlines 2 months ago, this is the perfect time to review it from the perspective of Medical Anthropology!
So… Why is This Happening?
I know what you're thinking, and it's only one word: why. Why are modern-day women experiencing a maternal mortality rate that has increased by almost 60% since 2021? Why are only African-American women experiencing such high rates? These questions are precisely why this critical issue gained traction publicly; people everywhere wondered if the cause was related to biological factors, socioeconomic factors, racial discrimination, COVID-19, and the like. After professionals from numerous fields (medicine, anthropology, sociology, etc.) banded together to find the root cause, a few primary reasons have been revealed! From a medical standpoint, the leading cause of maternal mortality in America, Maternal Sepsis, is twice as likely to affect black women, resulting in many premature births by cesarean section. Culturally, though, many black women (like Angelica Lyons, a public health professor at the University of Alabama) have reported their symptoms not being taken seriously until it was too late, after nearly dying during birth.
What Can We Do About It?
Stories from survivors like Lyons have inspired significant research on solutions to such a rise in African-American maternal mortality rates, alongside treatment for traumatic experiences that those lucky enough to survive go through. The leading determinant numerous medical research agencies and universities (NIH, CDC, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, etc.) have discovered is that structural racism poses a significant threat to black women receiving medical treatment. They recommend improvements in cultural humility in the healthcare sector and educational curriculums.
Conclusion
I must express my heartfelt gratitude for this issue reaching such an audience, allowing causes and treatments to be discovered sooner than ever. Contrary to popular belief, this issue was actually acknowledged years ago. But, this time, it was not ignored, as are many physical and mental health struggles relating to culture. More of these problems exist than one might think. Still, as someone entering the field of Medical Anthropology who struggles to find information on these issues, I am incredibly proud of the steps taken to put this matter into the spotlight. Today, both old and new organizations, such as the federal government's "Strong Beginnings" program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Hear Her" campaign, work as home-visiting programs and patient-provider communication initiatives, respectively, to tackle this issue directly.