U.S : Black maternal health matters !

 

 

 

Dear friend,

 

 

 

For Black women, pregnancy could be a deadly proposition, as they are three to four times more likely than white women to die during childbirth. The United States has the worst maternal mortality rate in the developed world, and it continues to rise. We can and must do better.

 

Representative Lauren Underwood and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus have introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 to save Black pregnant people's lives.¹ Will you add your name to become a citizen co-sponsor of the Momnibus?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Become a citizen co-sponsor of the Momnibus !

Add your name

The Momnibus is a package that includes multiple pieces of legislation with solutions to this crisis, including investing in community-based care for Black mothers, improving maternal health data collection, improving maternal health outcomes for incarcerated mothers, supporting programs to improve mental health for postpartum mothers, and examining policies on continuing health insurance coverage, including Medicaid, up to one year postpartum. In addition, the package includes solutions specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, including research and data on vaccinations for pregnant and lactating people.

 

The legislation would not only protect Black women's lives during what should be a joyful event, but addresses preventable complications and improves maternal care at hospitals for Black women. It would center the well-being of Black women, who--because of medical racism and violence, are often not believed when they experience problematic symptoms or pregnancy complications, and are denied access to expedient care as a result. This is true across class, and even impacted Serena Williams when she gave birth to her daughter and had a near-death experience.² Will you add your name to help save the lives of Black pregnant people?

 

To be clear, this is not inevitable, this is intentional. The maternal health crisis in the U.S. is the result of decades of medical sexism and political negligence that has sacrificed the health, autonomy, and well-being of women. Medical research and interventions often lack a gender focus. Women are routinely disbelieved or gaslit when they seek out medical care.

 

Meanwhile, conservative politicians have worked overtime to throw up barriers to accessing basic health care, like birth control or abortion, all while closing clinics in rural and urban areas that serve vulnerable populations. When you add in the centuries of systemic racism that pervades our health care system, which routinely sees Black people's pain or medical needs as less urgent than that of white people, the weight of this history of racism and sexism is especially heavy for Black pregnant women. 

 

But we can change this. Now that Democrats have full control in Washington, we're confident that the Momnibus has a path toward becoming law--but not without your support. Add your name to become a citizen co-sponsor of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, and let's save Black pregnant parents' lives.

 

Thanks for adding your name !

 

 

 

 

 

Shaunna, Kathy, Sonja, Melody, Lindsay, Maria, Kimberly, Elisa, KaeLyn, Katie, KD, and Bridget, the UltraViolet team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources :

 

 

 

 

 

1. UNDERWOOD, ADAMS, BOOKER UNVEIL THE BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH MOMNIBUS ACT TO ADDRESS AMERICA'S MATERNAL HEALTH CRISIS, Lauren Underwood, February 8, 2021.

2. Serena Williams: What my life-threatening experience taught me about giving birth, CNN, February 20, 2018 .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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