Reducing Maternal Deaths

For so many expectant mothers, anxiety can build from the moment they find out a little one is on the way. One thing they shouldn’t have to worry about is dying during pregnancy or childbirth, but that’s a real possibility for too many women, particularly those who are African-American and live right here in Pennsylvania.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, on average, black mothers in the United States die at a rate that is at least triple that of white mothers – and that health disparity is troubling in Pennsylvania, with more than 33.9 deaths per 100,000 live births among black women, compared to nearly 13.1 for white women.