Suffering in Silence: Black Maternal Mortality and Epistemic Injustice

In the United States, maternal mortality rates among Black women are disproportionately high. While complex factors such as access to healthcare and socioeconomic status influence maternal health outcomes, the ways in which physicians interact with pregnant Black women needs to be addressed. Using Miranda Fricker’s concept of epistemic injustice, I will examine interactions between physicians and pregnant Black women. Testimonial and hermeneutical injustice towards pregnant Back women is perpetuated because of biological fallacies, and implicit biases in pain treatment and patient-physician interactions. Exploring these connections allows us to shed light on the mistreatment of Black mothers in the healthcare system