Thread by @Guttmacher

Year after year, the data on maternal health outcomes tell a similar story: Rates of pregnancy-related mortality in the US are among the worst of high-income countries, and are more than 3x higher among Black women than among white women. #BMHW21
cdc.gov/reproductivehe…

At their root, these disparities result from systemic racism and discrimination & reflect broader societal inequities. They have also been magnified during the #COVID19 pandemic. Policymakers and medical institutions must acknowledge this reality & take action. #BlackMamasMatter

Improving the quality of #maternalhealth care & ensuring full access to it is critical to addressing these unacceptable outcomes. Many US states are working to do this by establishing committees to investigate maternal deaths & by expanding maternal health services. #BMHW21

48 states, DC, NYC, Philadelphia & Puerto Rico have MMRCs or legal requirements to review pregnancy-related deaths. But there’s room for improvement: Only 7 states investigate or consider racial disparities & equity in reviews. #BMHW21
guttmacher.org/state-policy/e…

In 2020, several states took steps to address #maternalhealth, incl by expanding Medicaid coverage for postpartum care to 6 months, improving care for incarcerated people & strengthening maternal mortality review committees through better data collection & information sharing.

So far in 2021, 41 states & DC have measures pending to improve access to maternal and pregnancy care, including provisions to expand access to #doula services, require implicit bias training for providers and expand the scope of MMRCs. Legislation is moving in 18 states & DC.

As #COVID19 continues, we need to keep building on efforts to protect Black mamas—including at the federal level. Congress should pass the Black Maternal Health #Momnibus proposed by the @BMHCaucus to comprehensively address US maternal health disparities. #BlackMamasMatter