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Understanding Maternal Mortality Risks For Black Women

Why do pregnant Black women face such a high risk?
Posted at 4:54 PM, Aug 10, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-10 16:54:19-04

Go to college, start your career, get married, start a family: It’s the so-called American dream. 

For many women with this dream, having children is a milestone. But for others — the thought of giving birth is a nightmare. 

Especially for Black women. 

As maternal mortality soared 33% during the pandemic, the CDC finds Black women came closer to dying during childbirth than any other race.

We visited the obstetrics and gynecology department at Northwestern Medicine in Illinois to uncover why pregnant Black women face such a high risk.