“Regardless of income level, regardless of education level, Black women, Native women, women who live in rural areas are more likely to die or be left scared or scarred from an experience that should be safe and should be a joyful one.”
– Vice President Harris
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among economically developed countries. According to the CDC, hundreds of women in the U.S die each year as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications, these results highlight considerable racial disparities showing that Black or African American women are three to four times most likely to die than their White or Caucasian counterparts; and American Indian and Alaska Native women are more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications.
These disparities are also being highlighted at the local level, according to The Women’s Fund’s Gender Equity Dashboard, Black or African American women have the highest maternal mortality and infant mortality rates in Miami-Dade County. Additionally, Black or African American women also have the lowest adequate prenatal care at 69.3 per 100,000 people in Miami-Dade County.
The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade supports this Miami-Dade Commission for Women CEDAW Recommendation:
The Miami-Dade County Commission for Women and its CEDAW committee recommend that the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (BCC) call a meeting with the Public Health Trust to create a public five-year plan within one year to lower Black Maternal Mortality and Black Infant Mortality rate in our county (specifically Jackson System). The County-wide rate of 10.8 (BIM) must be lowered to a rate of 3.5 which is between 3.1 (white mothers) and 3.9 (Hispanic mothers).
We must turn our attention and resources to addressing this public health crisis. this event took place via Zoom Webinar on September 1st from 9:00 am – 10:30 am as we learn from experts about what we can do to ameliorate these disparities and re-build a health care system that is equitable and safe for all mothers regardless of their race, background or economic status.