It’s a matter of life or death.
Despite the technological advances in healthcare, one of the most joyous times in a parent’s life can be the most dangerous, especially for Black women.
According to the Missouri Foundation for Health, Missouri Black women die from pregnancy-related complications four times more often than White women. Black women are at risk nationally and locally.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2020, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, almost three times the rate for non-Hispanic White women.
These rates are similar to those in Missouri.
According to the United Health Foundation’s 2016 Health of Women and Children Report, death of Missouri’s Black maternal death is even higher at 65 deaths per 100,000 live births. Missouri’s overall maternal mortality rate was 28.5 deaths per 100,000 live births (In 2016, Missouri ranked 42nd in the nation; the state has dropped to 44).
A maternal death is defined by the World Health Organization as, “the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes.”
According to the annual Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review board report released last August, “maternal mortality events are internationally viewed as an indicator that may be used to judge the overall health of a country, state, or community.”
There’s a bright spot here: we can do something about this.
In 2018, the Missouri Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review determined that 80% of pregnancy-related deaths that year could have been prevented.
In the Show-Me-State, more than half of pregnancy-related deaths occur after 43 days postpartum. To help improve the mortality rates for Black mothers, Missouri’s Maternal Mortality Review Commission has recommended that the state extend Medicaid from 60 days to one year postpartum to all pregnant people regardless of condition.
As the leader of one of the largest federally qualified health centers in Missouri, my commitment is to provide high quality healthcare to all, including those who have been traditionally excluded and underserved communities.
Black mothers are dying due to maternal complications at higher rates than any other demographic group in our nation, and we can help turn this statistic around. We have an obligation to do better.
Bills introduced in last year’s Missouri legislative session sought to authorize postpartum Medicaid coverage for 12 months, however, the bills were not approved. The proposed legislation has been reintroduced to the legislature in the current session.
We need Missouri to extend healthcare coverage to a year postpartum for our new parents. Contact your state legislators and demand they do what’s best for Missouri parents.
It’s a matter of life.
Dr. Kendra Holmes is the President & CEO for Affinia Healthcare, a community health center with locations in St. Louis City and County, that provides medical, dental, and behavioral healthcare for all ages and income levels.
