“Currently, the United States ranks last among high-income countries for maternal health outcomes. While pregnancy-related mortality rates are dropping around the world, they are rising in our country. There are stark racial and ethnic disparities as well: maternal mortality rates for Black and Native Americans are 2-4 times higher than rates for white Americans, and research has shown that maternal mortality and morbidity rates are elevated for Hispanic and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) people.
These data are alarming and the stories behind the statistics are tragic. But this is not a crisis without hope, or a problem without solutions. In fact, there are community-based initiatives across the country that are not just saving lives; they’re promoting true maternal health justice.
By scaling these programs and investing in the organizations doing the hard and necessary work to promote birth equity, we can end our nation’s maternal health crisis and ensure every American has access to the high-quality care and robust support they need during and after pregnancy—and that’s just what the Build Back Better Act will do.”
