Black Maternal Health Week was founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and takes place every year from April 11-17. This week is dedicated to “deepening the national conversation about Black maternal health in the US; amplifying community-driven policy, research, and care solutions, centering the voices of Black Mamas, women, families, and stakeholders; providing a national platform for Black-led entities and efforts on maternal health, birth and reproductive justice; and enhancing community organizing on Black maternal health.”
According to a report submitted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, maternal mortality is a human rights crisis in the United States. From 1990 to 2013, as the majority of countries significantly reduced the incidence of maternal mortality, the maternal mortality ratio in the U.S. more than doubled. Black and Indigenous/Native women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that most pregnancy-related deaths (more than 60 percent) are preventable, and due to a variety of contributing factors, such as access to appropriate and high-quality care, missed or delayed diagnoses, and lack of knowledge around warning signs.
Doulas can help to improve health outcomes, decrease the number of C-sections, and even lower the rate of epidural and pain medication use. Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest was proud to work with community partners and local birth workers to advocate for the establishment of a pilot program in San Diego County to expand access to doulas for people across the country.
On March 1, the program was voted on and unanimously passed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. We are grateful for all the support and expertise of doulas and birth workers who worked to successfully advocate for this program.
At Planned Parenthood, we believe that high-quality health care should be accessible to all, and we’ll continue to work to create a world where everyone can get the care they need without fear, bias, or barriers.
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