A new report has revealed how the Black maternal health crisis is directly affecting Black women in Tennessee.
According to Tennessee’s 2022 Maternal Mortality Report, Black women are 2.5 times more likely to experience pregnancy-related fatalities.
Dr. Cornelia Graves, a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, emphasized that the higher mortality rate among black women during childbirth does not stem from a greater prevalence of underlying health issues.
“Black women are more likely to die during childbirth, but it’s not because we’re more likely to be sicker,” said Dr. Graves. “One of the things we do know is that Black women, in particular, are more likely to have heart complications during pregnancy and are more likely to have high blood pressure.”
The report also revealed that discrimination played a role in one out of every three pregnancy-related deaths among women of color.
Graves stressed the significance of speaking up and expressing concerns, advising women to assertively communicate when they feel their healthcare providers are not listening.
“In the end, if your provider doesn’t honor those things, then it is time to find another provider,” said Graves.
The new report comes amid continued conversations around the Black maternity health crisis.
This includes the recent announcement that a federal investigation has been launched over Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s treatment of Black women giving birth.
The investigation is in relation to allegations of racism and discrimination the hospital faced after the death of Kira Dixon Johnson in 2016.
Olympians Allyson Felix and Tianna Madison recently spoke out about their own pregnancy complications following the death of their teammate Frentorish “Tori” Bowie.
And in June, a collective of over 50 Black-led organizations presented lawmakers with a guide aimed at helped them address the reproductive concerns of Black women, girls, and those who are gender expansive.