The Influence of Racial Barriers on Maternal Mortality in Black Women in the United States

In the United States, Black women are 3-4x more likely to die a pregnancy related death compared to that of white women. The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. has continually been on the rise for years, and the racial disparities amongst Black mothers have only become more apparent. This capstone paper will be examining the factors contributing to maternal mortality in the United States, especially those based in racial inequity, inequality, and biases. Much of the research on the issue analyzes access, racism, racial biases, medical mistrust, and provider-patient relationships as contributing factors to the disparities we see in maternal mortality rates. Throughout this paper, there will be a comprehensive review of these contributing factors and as well as current strategies for prevention, and interventions that may contribute to reduction in the rates of maternal mortality. It is clear that there is awareness of the issue at hand and some research goes as far as to recommend approaches to begin to change the conversation into a plan of action. The ultimate goal is to see a reduction in the different rates among races and maternal mortality altogether. However, before that can truly happen it is crucial to address and understand why we see these disparities among Black women, which is the goal of this capstone paper