Let’s state the facts:
Black mamas die at a rate of 3-5 times more than White mamas.
Some of the leading causes is death include hypertensive disease of pregnancy, cardiomyopathy, sepsis (infection in the blood) and blood clots in the legs/lungs.
When looking at characteristics of maternal deaths, educational and income levels are the same between Black and White mamas.
Due to the fact above, it has been concluded that institutional and provider bias has been noted to be a part of the difference in the death rates between Black and White mamas.
Hospitals are now implementing maternal safety bundles to help remove the bias in care to standardize care for all patients
Things you can do are:
Know your rights as a patient/consumer of health care.
Ask questions! Learn all you can!
Develop a good support system. Keep them in the loop on your wishes and let them know what’s going on with you.
Encourage your support system to speak up when you’re unable to speak up for yourself (mentally or physically)
Develop a birth plan
Get a birth coach/doula
Make your visits
Speak up when something doesn’t feel right.
Know the pregnancy and postpartum warning signs
Remember this: WE, as physicians are the experts in medicine, but YOU as the PATIENTS are the experts in you! If it’s not right, shout it to the mountains until someone listens.. you can help safe your life!

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