Fighting Maternal Mortality: Black Maternal Health Week

The Becker Law Firm is proud to support the fourth annual national Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) campaign – which shines a spotlight on historically high rates of maternal death among African-American women and sends a simple message: Every mother counts.

Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, BMHW provides a week of awareness programs and community outreach designed to further the conversation about black maternal health in the U.S. and rally support for needed research, care solutions, and effective health policies.

Black Maternal Health Week takes place each year from April 11 to April 17.

Maternal Mortality in the U.S.

Because Black Maternal Health Week begins on April 11^th – the United Nations-recognized International Day for Maternal Health and Rights – BMHW advocates join dozens of other organizations fighting to end maternal mortality, which has become a significant problem in the U.S.

Despite the amazing innovations of modern medicine, giving birth in America is more dangerous than in any other developed nation in the world. What’s more, black women are 2.5 times more likely to die during or after childbirth than their white and Hispanic counterparts.

As the numbers show:

• The U.S. leads the developed world in maternal childbirth complication rates;
• Roughly 700 women die each year in the U.S. as a result of pregnancy-related complications;
• Most pregnancy-related maternal deaths are preventable;
• 1 in 8 hospitals have maternal Injury, death rates double the norm.

Black women have historically had the highest maternal mortality rates, a problem researchers suggest stems not from systemic societal and health care problems and black women’s increased susceptibility to health conditions like hypertension and obesity. Black mothers are also less likely to have access to quality prenatal care. Advocacy efforts, and the support of people like you, can make a profound difference in changing those numbers.

You can learn more about Black Maternal Health Week and ways you can get involved here.

The Becker Law Firm: Fighting for Mothers & Families Since 1980

As a law firm that has fought for newborns, mothers, and families across Ohio since 1980, The Becker Law Firm has seen troubling trends within our health care system first hand, and proudly supports initiatives like BMHW that aim to end preventable pain and suffering.

In addition to supporting these organizations, our team also represents families in complex birth injury and medical malpractice cases against negligent medical professionals, hospitals, and health care providers who fail to meet the standard of care. If you have a potential case, contact our Cleveland personal injury attorneys.