Black Maternal Mortality-The Elephant in the Room

Rolanda L Lister; Wonder Drake; Scott Baldwin H; Cornelia Graves

Review Article

Black Maternal Mortality-The Elephant in the Room

Rolanda L Lister¹*, Wonder Drake¹, Scott Baldwin H¹ and Cornelia Graves²

¹Vanderbilt University Medical Center, USA

²Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital, USA

Corresponding Author

Received Date: November 15, 2019; Published Date: November 22, 2019

Abstract

Maternal mortality is on the rise in the United States and it disproportionately affects black women. The reasons for this staggering discrepancy hinge on three central issues: First, black women are more likely to have pre-existing cardiovascular morbidity that increase the risk of maternal mortality. Second, black women are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes which puts them at risk for developing long-term cardiovascular disease. Third, racial bias of providers and perceived racial discrimination from patients (the elephant in the room) impacts black patients’ trust in their providers and the medical community at large. Reducing black maternal mortality involves a multi-tiered approach involving the patient, provider and public health policy.

Keywords:Maternal mortality; Blacks; Whites

Article Details

Citation

Rolanda L Lister, Wonder Drake, Scott Baldwin H, Cornelia Graves. Black Maternal Mortality-The Elephant in the Room. W J Gynecol Women’s Health. 3(1): 2019. WJGWH.MS.ID.000555.