Mortality Rates and Healthcare Inequality amongst Black Women

As of recently, it has become more and more prevalent amongst black communities and the health care system that the system does not support black mothers as much as their white counterparts. Recently the story of Shalon Irving, a prominent, well-off black woman in Atlanta who was not able to receive proper care during her pregnancy, ultimately resulting in death. Although, it was stated that it as due to complication with blood pressure, Irving's family was not convinced. Shalon's story brought about a lot of attention to flaws in the healthcare system, and specifically, toward black women. NPR covered the story of Shalon in a 2017 article , which also uncovered data relating to the issue of mortality in pregnant black women. The data above includes census from NYC Health Department from 2008-2012 that uncovered the comparison of morbidity in black women compared to other races. Along with this, data from the CDC also showed the vast percentage and likelihood for a black women to lose her life during pregnancy. Shockingly, the systems mistreatment isn't only premature, but postpartum. According to data from the American Journal of OBYNs, this postpartum inequality is existent in California Medicaid program, as well.