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- Taryn Graves is the policy assistant at Physicians for Reproductive Health,
My journey toward a career in reproductive justice began with my mother’s difficult pregnancy and experiences as a Black woman navigating the U.S. health care system. I spent the first five months of my life at the hospital due to a premature birth.
I arrived two months early with a hiatal hernia, a condition in which part of the stomach pushes into the chest cavity. When recalling her pregnancy, my mother describes it as a traumatic time in her life where she experienced doctors dismissing her needs and minimizing her concerns, worsened by a difficult period of post-partum recovery.
Unfortunately, these stories are all too common. Many individuals and their families have had difficult pre- and post-partum journeys within the health care system. These experiences are even more troublesome because structural racism systematically denies Black women the care they need.
My mother’s story cemented my commitment to advocating for increased access to maternal health care and understanding how policy can address our nation’s escalating maternal mortality crisis. While attending college in Tennessee, I discovered the severity of the maternal health crisis in the state, specifically for Black families.
Another view:Abortion is now illegal in Tennessee, but state bans were decades in the making | Opinion
Lack of access to preventive health and care worsens the maternal mortality crisis
Maternal health is an issue that affects everyone, but racial inequities disproportionately impact Black women, birthing people, and people of color capable of pregnancy.
According to the CDC, in 2021, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was three times higher than that of white women. It is imperative to recognize that maternal mortality is impacted by several factors, including laws that ban or severely restrict access to abortion, as evidenced by the aftermath of the Dobbsdecision. 22 states, including Tennessee, have passed restrictive abortion bans, exacerbating the risk of pregnancy-related deaths.
Women in states with the most restrictive abortion laws are more than three times as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth, a statistic particularly affecting Black women and families, as seven in 10 Black women live in states that have banned or restricted reproductive health services.
A lack of access to sexual and reproductive care places people at higher risk throughout pregnancy. Multiple barriers to care exist including accessing a health care provider, obtaining insurance, and accessing leave to attend appointments. Socioeconomic status, educational attainment, and geographical location further exacerbate these barriers. Research from the Gender Equity Policy Institute indicates that states limiting access to reproductive health services, like abortion, experience worse maternal health outcomes.
More:Abortion ban means Tennessee women have lost bodily autonomy
Care for Moms Act is a fix that would expand services such as pre- and post-partum care
Tennessee represents this trend with a complete abortion ban while possessing one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the U.S. (62.4 deaths per 100,000 live births).
In Tennessee, Black mothers have a 45% higher rate of premature births compared to other women. A shortage of health care providers and maternal health care deserts in rural areas contribute to the worsening situation. Research from the March of Dimes reports rising maternal mortality rates and care deserts worsened in 2022, with 17% of residents reporting receiving inadequate prenatal care, surpassing the national average.
Addressing this crisis requires laws that protect parents, babies, and reproductive health care services. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Illinois’ Care for Moms Act, introduced in the U.S. House, proposes measures to address America’s maternal mortality crisis. The bill calls for access to pre- and post-partum care, diversifying the doula network, expanding Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) coverage, attacking implicit bias and racism within the health care system, and providing maternal health services in rural communities.
The time to pass this legislation is now. Passing the Care for Moms Act would help lift the barriers that prevent pregnant people from obtaining the care they need and ensure everyone has access to the care and resources necessary to live their lives with dignity and autonomy.
Taryn Graves is the policy assistant at Physicians for Reproductive Health, where she focuses on tracking state and federal policies relating to reproductive and maternal health.
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