Black Maternl Health Division
The goal of BLM NH’s Maternal Health Programs is to educate, advocate, and uplift by bringing visibility to the alarming disparities Black women and women of color face in reproductive and maternal care. These disparities are not just statistics — they are costing lives, causing trauma, and leaving too many unseen and unheard within healthcare systems.
Black women are dying, being harmed, and dismissed at disproportionate rates — not because of biology, but because of systemic neglect and bias. BLM NH is committed to confronting this crisis head-on by raising awareness, demanding accountability, and working in collaboration with partners across the state to drive the systemic change our communities deserve.
Black Maternal Health Disparities: Key Data
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Maternal Mortality Rates (2023)
Black women experienced a maternal mortality rate of 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, significantly higher than White women (14.5), Hispanic women (12.4), and Asian women (10.7).
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Persistent Disparities
Black women are over three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. This disparity persists regardless of income or education level.
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Educational Impact
Black women with a college degree face higher pregnancy-related mortality rates than White women with less than a high school diploma, highlighting systemic issues beyond socioeconomic factors.
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Contributing Factors
Systemic racism, implicit bias in healthcare, and unequal access to quality care contribute to these disparities.
Join the BLMNH Maternal Health Committee
Join the BLMNH committee members working to improve Black maternal health through research, programs, and more.
Resources
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American Heart Association, Why Black Women are Less Likely to Survive Pregnancy
Black Mamas Matter Alliance, 2023 Black Maternal Health Week
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hear Her Campaign
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Working Together to Reduce Black Maternal Mortality
KFF, Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them
National Public Radio, “Trying to Avoid Racist Health Care, Black Women Seek Out Black Obstetricians
Pew Research Center, Black Americans’ Views about Health Disparities
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