Childbirth Mortality Rate Across the Economic Spectrum: White Parents Vs. Black Parents
Image Source: Scientific American
Issues of social justice have become far more prevalent in the last few years, mainly due to the rise of social media and increased support for social justice by the general public. Racial prejudice is discussed far more frequently than it used to be, and media coverage of hate crimes and speech has increased in tandem. What does not get discussed as frequently is the mortality rate of Black mothers during childbirth in comparison to that of White mothers, and how racial wealth disparity impacts this inequality. This is a matter of social justice that indicates the profound societal issue of healthcare, racism, and the drastic divide of the socioeconomic scale.
The divide between Black and White mothers is more than just a societal construct. There are major inequalities in economic status between the two groups, and the quality of their healthcare options can differ immensely. Black mothers are three times more likely than White mothers to die during childbirth, and compared to other races have the highest mortality rate in the country (Statistica). The economic aspect is the most prominent component of the drastically higher childbirth mortality rates, making this an issue that is profoundly impacted by class. Between 2019 and 2020 the maternal mortality rate rose from seven hundred and fifty four women per year to eight hundred and sixty one women, with a majority of the difference being Black women (Buchholz, 2022). Meanwhile, rates for White women have remained the same. With economic status impacting factors such as education, access to healthcare, insurance, and locations in which people are located and its proximity to good quality hospitals (Hill et al. 2022), it is no wonder that class has this effect on mortality. Wonjeong Jeong conducted a study in 2020 that compared the ranges of women on the economic spectrum and the rates of mortality during childbirth. Those ranges were low income, mid to low income, mid to high income, and high income. The data showed that the highest rate of mortality was amongst the low income mothers, being one hundred and three deaths, mid to low income resulting in one hundred and one deaths, mid to high income resulting in one hundred deaths and high income resulting in only forty deaths (Jeong, 2020). The four main issues that led to this were ability to seek care care, access to care, and quality of care, as well as the time in which it was received. At first, it was thought that women faced disparities in rural versus urban settings, but after this study the conclusion was that the mortality rates had much less to do with the geographical area itself; rather, the economic status of each person was what really impacted the results.
One of the primary reasons that economic inequality impacts Black mothers is that medical care coverage is significantly lower for less wealthy groups, as well as postpartum support being much lower due to insurance coverage (Gunga, 2022). There are a variety of factors in this inequality, including poverty being much more prominent among generations of Black families than in generations of White families. This is shown through studies that have taken place over the past forty years, where it was found that nearly one in every three Black children were living in poverty (Elliott, 2016). In addition to the blatant poverty rates amongst Black people, there are conditions that pertain to socioeconomic status that also affect childbirth. These conditions include heart disease, diabetes and obesity, all of which are caused by a lack of access to consistent healthcare or healthy food. The way that socioeconomic status affects Black mothers versus White mothers is not always a matter of the immediate action of birth and its reaction; rather, it can often be a matter of several components leading up to the event which can cause such a drastic outcome.
A number of solutions have been proposed that might lower the drastically higher maternal mortality rates amongst Black women. Among these are initiatives designed to tackle three specific aspects of how socioeconomic status affects healthcare (World Health Organization, 2020). The first idea is free and affordable primary care. This will play the largest role in helping mothers get the care they need. Due to the economic disparity and divide amongst White and Black people in America, there is often a disproportionate amount of Black families and individuals that go without adequate medical care. If it were to be free there would be a significant leveling of the playing field. Free healthcare would expand access to marginalized groups, and let Black people have more opportunities in finding and obtaining care.
The next solution is to expand reproductive health care both before and after pregnancy. This will lead to better resources being delegated to Black mothers, assisting in the prevention of detecting pre-existing medical conditions as well as aid in pregnancy health (World Health Organization, 2020).
The last solution proposed is to cover midwives with insurance. This will help to improve overall reproductive health. There would be an emphasis on care regarding childbirth, including prenatal visits, attending and assisting in the birthing process, as well as medical and emotional care upon birth (Mayo Clinic, 2020). This will further help prepare all mothers, especially Black mothers in the birthing process, so it is less of an emergency situation when the baby is born, and therefore reducing rates of childbirth mortality. When this is covered with insurance it will be accessible to more low income families, including the disproportionate rate of Black families in poverty.
References
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