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accessHealthNews.net
April 2025
Volume 11 | Issue No. 95
Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW),
observed annually from April 11-17, is more
than an observance—it is a call to action.
Established by the Black Mamas Matter
Alliance, BMHW brings national attention to
the persistent racial disparities in maternal
health, the systemic barriers Black women
face, and the urgent need for policy
reform.
This year, the call to action is even
more urgent. The return of the Trump
administration signals policy rollbacks
that directly threaten maternal health,
disproportionately harming Black women.
The United States has the highest maternal
mortality rate among high-income nations,
and Black women remain nearly 3.5 times
more likely to die from pregnancy-related
complications than white women.
With the return of the Trump administration,
critical health care protections are being
rolled back, reproductive rights further
restricted, and maternal health research
funding placed at risk. The political stakes in
2025—and the next four years—will shape
the future of Black maternal health at a
pivotal moment in this ongoing crisis.
As we consider these challenges, the
evidence becomes starkly clear. The crisis
facing Black mothers is not new—but it is
preventable. Racial bias in health care
leads to delayed diagnoses, inadequate
treatment, and dismissive attitudes toward
Black women's pain and medical concerns.
For instance, a review published in the
Journal of Women's Health reveals that
implicit bias in medical decision-making
significantly contributes to higher rates of
maternal morbidity among Black women.
READ MORE
'I was told that I was fine, and I was sent home. But
I wasn't fine. The next morning, I went into preterm
labor. My son was born months early because, despite
my concerns, my doctor didn't take me seriously.'
- Cori Bush, former Missouri Congresswoman
