“Disbelieving Black Women to Death”; the “Double Jeopardy”: Racism and Sexism Affects Black Women’s Access to and Quality of Care During Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum

This paper explores possible reasons why Black women in the United States experience a higher maternal mortality rate than their white counterparts. Using books, articles, journals, documentaries, personal experiences and stories of Black women and mothers, I argue that barriers from the societal to the individual level create health and medical disparities for Black mothers in pregnancy, during delivery, and the postpartum period. The paper concludes with a multifaceted solution and call to action