Take charge of your health today. Be informed. Be involved. – Maternal Mortality

This month, the “Take Charge of Your Health Today” page focuses on maternal mortality. Erricka Hager and Bee Schindler, community engagement coordinators, University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and Esther L. Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, spoke about this topic.

EB: I am glad we will discuss a very important and heavy subject as we round out 2019’s “Take Charge of Your Health Today,” Erricka and Bee. The issue of maternal mortality is particularly critical in the black community. Pennsylvania’s Maternal Mortality Committee found 11.4 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2012 and 2016 for pregnancy-related deaths in the Commonwealth. For black women, that rate is more than double, at 27.2 pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births. The rates are on the rise. It is imperative that we interrupt this uptick and get to the root of this problem that is negatively affecting the black community.

EH: It’s a tragic time, Ms. Bush. Particularly because of, as Dr. Dara Mendez, associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh points out, the underlying issue of institutional racism that leads to health inequalities like high rates of preeclampsia and pregnancy-related hypertension disorders.

EB: Absolutely. The historical ways that lead to systemic inequities should drive us as a community to demand attention to and solution(s) for curbing the otherwise growing concern for maternal mortality. Thankfully, the black maternal death crisis has received an increase in media coverage and support. Groups like the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and the National Birth Equity Collaborative are leading national efforts to raise awareness about this growing public health crisis.

BS: Yes, Ms. Bush. Interestingly Dr. Mendez’s work lists neighborhood contexts that influence pregnancy and how historical and present-day wrongdoings, like redlining, lead to health disparities that have dire effects. It takes recognition and action to begin to break down these barriers and address the growing problem.

EH: Right. Recently, a federal Preventing Maternal Deaths Act was enacted. Part of the act includes gathering data from a spectrum of sources to understand the circumstances surrounding maternal death, including factors like housing, food access and structural racism. Dr. Mendez serves on the Pennsylvania committee that came out of the national effort and says efforts like this act are a must in combating maternal death.

BS: That commitment will be critical in making a change. How do we move forward together to help mothers and babies?

EH: That’s a good question, Bee. I would encourage our readers to engage with their elected officials. Black maternal mortality rates have emerged as a major concern in the 2020 presidential campaign. At a local and national level, voting is more than pushing a button; it is holding people accountable. Do your research. Do these issues show up in the platforms of local and national candidates? Without your voice, silence equals consent.

EB: Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the work of Dr. Mendez with our readers, Erricka and Bee. We thank our readers for encouraging us all to take charge of our health this year. As we approach a new decade, I look forward to starting the calendar year on the right foot as we talk about another important health issue—mindfulness.

by Esther Bush, For New Pittsburgh Courier

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