Posted on August 14, 2025

 

In the United States, giving birth is far more dangerous than it should be—especially if you are a Black woman. Black mothers are nearly four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white mothers. This disparity cannot be explained away by income, education, or lifestyle. Even when controlling for education level, body mass index, and socio-economic status, the gap persists. The root cause is not race itself, but racism—embedded in our healthcare systems, policies, and perceptions.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now openly states what advocates have long known: racism is a public health threat. And nowhere is this truth more visible than in our maternal mortality crisis.

 

The Tragic Lesson of Shalon Irving

In 2017, Dr. Shalon Irving—a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health alumna and an epidemiologist at the CDC—dedicated her career to studying health disparities. Three weeks after giving birth to her daughter, Soleil, Shalon died from complications related to high blood pressure.

In the days before her death, Shalon reported severe swelling, headaches, elevated blood pressure, and swelling at her C-section incision. Despite repeatedly seeking medical attention, her concerns were dismissed as “normal postpartum symptoms.” Shalon collapsed at home and never recovered.

Her death sent shockwaves through public health circles because she had everything society claims should protect a mother—a PhD, private health insurance, financial stability, and expertise in the system—yet none of it saved her.

 

Persistent Bias and Misinformation

The problem runs deeper than neglect. A 2016 survey of white medical students revealed that nearly half held false beliefs about biological differences between Black and white patients, such as believing Black people have thicker skin or less sensitive nerve endings. Such biases directly affect care, from how pain is assessed to whether symptoms are taken seriously.

A 2020 study found that Black newborns are more likely to survive when cared for by Black physicians—a finding that underscores how representation, trust, and cultural competence save lives.

 

The Current Landscape: 2024–2025 Data

Recent data from the CDC’s Maternal Mortality Report (March 2024) shows a slight decline in the U.S. maternal mortality rate since its pandemic-era peak, but the disparity for Black women remains staggering, 2.6 times higher than for white women in 2022, with provisional 2023 data showing little improvement.

In 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) expanded funding for community-based midwives and doulas in 19 states, acknowledging strong evidence that these supports can prevent up to 80% of pregnancy-related deaths when integrated into prenatal and postpartum care.

In early 2025, the CDC reaffirmed that structural racism—not individual health choices—remains a central driver of inequities, urging systemic change in access, delivery, and trust in care.

 

Why Midwifery and Doula Care Work

Research consistently shows that midwifery and doula care:

• Reduce unnecessary C-sections
• Improve breastfeeding rates and postpartum recovery
• Lower the risk of preterm births and low birth weight
• Provide culturally competent, continuous support—something our fragmented healthcare system rarely delivers

Midwives and doulas are trained to listen, watch for early warning signs, and advocate for intervention when necessary—skills that directly counteract the systemic dismissal of Black women’s symptoms.

It’s Time to Act, if not NOW, WHEN?!

The U.S. government knows midwifery and doula care can save lives. Communities know it. Advocates know it. Yet implementation remains slow and uneven, often blocked by lack of insurance coverage, restrictive laws, and entrenched medical hierarchies.

Every year we delay scaling these services, we lose mothers who could have been saved. As Shalon Irving’s story reminds us, this crisis is not about education, wealth, or personal choices—it’s about dismantling systems of neglect and building models of care that center respect, listening, and equity.

It is time to fund, expand, and integrate midwives and doulas into the fabric of maternal healthcare, not as a luxury, but as a life-saving necessity.

 

Tragic Cases

Arteisha Betts – Missouri

In March 2011, Arteisha Betts experienced a devastating birth tragedy in Missouri when her baby became stuck during labor. Despite recommendations for a Cesarean, the delivering doctor proceeded with a vaginal delivery. As a result of excessive traction, the infant’s head was separated from the cervical spine in a catastrophic event, and a lawsuit was filed against the medical team for refusing a safer delivery method. (The Law Office Of Gerald Oginski, LLC, Carey Danis & Lowe)

Jessica Ross – Georgia

In July 2023, Jessica Ross gave birth to her first child, Treveon Isaiah Taylor Jr., under traumatic circumstances. The baby was tragically decapitated during delivery due to shoulder dystocia. A medical examiner ruled it a homicide, noting that excessive force and delayed surgical intervention contributed to the death. Reverberating anguish followed when a pathologist, hired for the autopsy, posted graphic images and videos online, without the family's consent. In 2025, a jury awarded the parents $2.25 million in damages for emotional distress, invasion of privacy, and fraud. (People.com, AP News, The Guardian)

Adriana Smith & Baby Chance – Georgia

Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old nurse in Georgia, was declared brain-dead in February 2025 while nine weeks pregnant. Due to Georgia's strict abortion law, she was kept on life support until her body began to deteriorate & her baby, Chance, was delivered via emergency C-section in June. The family was barred from making decisions, and the situation ignited widespread debate over medical ethics, legal constraints, and reproductive rights. (Wikipedia, The Guardian, Ayanna Pressley, The Atlantic)

No amount of money will prevent Arteshia Betts or Jessica Ross from being re-traumatized the next time they decide to give birth.

Your Role in Accountability: GreenBOOK Directory Invitation

We are launching a GreenBOOK Directory to collect the names of physicians, healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities that, tragically, failed to provide safe, compassionate care to these families. 

This directory aims to:

• Hold providers accountable
• Promote transparency and systemic improvement
• Offer a resource for informed healthcare choices

Please send any information or verified reports (e.g., names of providers, incidents, or institutions whose lack of care contributes to these statistics, city, state, and name of practice. Together, we can transform grief into action and foster safer, more just maternal and infant care systems.

 

• People.com
• AP News