Black women in the United States have the highest maternal mortality rate of any racial group — a crisis that should alarm everyone. Stories of Black women nearly dying or dying during or after childbirth have made headlines. In 2018, tennis legend Serena Williams revealed she nearly died after giving birth due to a pulmonary embolism that a nurse initially dismissed. In 2024, Kristy Anderson, a longtime Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader, died after giving birth to a stillborn child. In January, midwife Janell Green Smith died from childbirth complications. These are just a few of the untold stories of Black women dying during or after childbirth across the U.S.
The racial disparities in maternal mortality demand ongoing attention. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report from March 2025 citing 2024 data, Black women are at least three times more likely than white women to die around childbirth. Dr. Jacqueline C. Hairston, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasized that the Black maternal mortality crisis is an American issue that should matter to everyone. She noted that “when you are working to improve the outcomes of people who have the worst outcomes, you’re ultimately going to change and improve the outcomes for all.” Hairston stressed that no one should die in childbirth and that protocols and research should protect everyone.
Dr. LaTasha Seliby Perkins, a family medicine physician, added that Black women have the right to give birth in the United States without a higher risk of dying. She warned that if society accepts this disparity, similar issues could arise in other populations. Perkins highlighted that Black women are a large part of the workforce — as taxpayers, workers, educators, doctors, and lawyers — so when one population is affected, everyone is affected. She called for viewing the crisis on a “human level” and advocating for better health outcomes for Black expectant mothers.
Common Misconceptions About Black Maternal Mortality
Doctors point to major misconceptions about the Black maternal mortality rate. Research shows that disparities affect Black women regardless of socioeconomic status or background knowledge of maternal health. Hairston cited the example of midwife Janell Green Smith, who dedicated her work to improving Black maternal health yet died from childbirth complications. Perkins emphasized that the crisis does not begin and end at delivery; it includes prenatal care, delivery, and the postpartum period, or “fourth trimester,” where Black women remain at high risk. The World Health Organization defines maternal death as occurring during pregnancy, childbirth, or up to 42 days after pregnancy.
Discrimination in Healthcare Systems
Black expectant mothers face discrimination in healthcare systems through structural racism and implicit racial biases. During a hearing in Black Maternal Health Week, Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the issue. Kennedy claimed the administration was doing more on maternal health generally, but Lee insisted on specific interventions for Black maternal health. Hairston noted that doctors often dismiss symptoms experienced by Black expectant mothers, citing Serena Williams’ experience. She explained that racism’s effects on pregnancy outcomes are difficult to quantify but are real. Other contributing factors include lack of access to quality pregnancy care, hospital closures, availability of specialty care, and workplace support for prenatal appointments. Hairston also emphasized the need for a diverse medical workforce to break the cycle of underrepresentation.
Perkins traced the roots of racism in maternal healthcare to J. Marion Sims, a 19th-century gynecologist who experimented on enslaved Black women without anesthesia. She urged providers to consider their perceptions of Black patients, asking whether they see vulnerability or strength that leads to dismissing complaints.
Solutions for Healthcare Providers
Perkins stressed that providers should validate fears of Black expectant mothers, listen to their concerns, and treat them with the highest level of clinical experience. She advised referring patients if necessary. Hairston recommended protocolized care to reduce bias, such as standard approaches to hemorrhage or high blood pressure regardless of a patient’s background. For example, if a patient’s blood pressure exceeds 160, it should be treated without question. While there is no single solution to the Black maternal mortality crisis, Hairston believes that chipping away at contributing factors through such measures can make a difference.
