Black Mothers Are Dying at an Alarming Rate

WASHINGTON, DC – Recenltly, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, unveiled the MOMMA Act to reverse America’s rising maternal mortality rate.

“For decades, the global rate of women dying from, during and after childbirth has been steadily declining. At the same time, the number of American mothers dying has been increasing,” said Congresswoman Kelly. “Hundreds of American mothers are dying; it’s time for Congress to do something about it.”

The U.S. maternal mortality rate is the highest amongst our peer nations. While the rate of maternal mortality is rising across the board, African American women are three to four times more likely to die than their white counterparts. “Black mothers are dying at three to four times the rate of white mothers. It’s time to do something about this shocking and alarming disparity,” said Congresswoman Kelly.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 700 American women die each year from pregnancy or childbirth complications. Some experts estimated that as many as half of these deaths are preventable.

“Starting or growing your family shouldn’t mean putting your life at risk,” added Congresswoman Kelly. “Every momma deserves the chance to be a momma – that’s why I’m working to pass the MOMMA Act.”

The legislation has won the support of multiple organizations and experts dedicated to preserving and advancing women’s health.

“The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is proud to support the MOMMA’s Act introduced by Congresswoman Robin Kelly,” said Linda Goler Blount, president and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI). “BWHI believes in policy efforts that work to improve our health and hospital systems, train our providers to guard against implicit bias and collect data that incorporates the lived experiences of Black women. Black women of all socioeconomic backgrounds bear the weight of the maternal mortality crisis. We must urge Congress to take more meaningful action to improve maternal outcomes for Black women and all women. The MOMMA’s Act is a crucial step toward that goal.”