Santa Clara County raises awareness about Black women dying in childbirth
Santa Clara County raises awareness about 'alarming' rate of Black women dying in childbirth
Santa Clara Valley Healthcare says they wanted this event to celebrate Black motherhood but also focus on the alarming rate of Black women who are dying during childbirth. "Black women are three to four more times as likely to die in childbirth. Black women in their 20s, with promise, with hope, stand before you already exhausted," said Leilani Jones, Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 11 marks the start of Black Maternal Health Week and the medical community in Santa Clara County is raising more awareness about the challenges Black women face before and after giving birth.
Santa Clara Valley Healthcare says they wanted this event to celebrate Black motherhood but also focus on the alarming rate of Black women who are dying during childbirth.
"This is truly a solvable disparity. Eighty percent of pregnant deaths are preventable. We cannot accept the status quo," said Susan Ellenberg, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors president.
As Black Maternal Health Week kicked off on Thursday, Ellenberg partnered to celebrate Black motherhood and acknowledge the challenges Black women today face.
"Black women are three to four more times as likely to die in childbirth. Black women in their 20s, with promise, with hope, stand before you already exhausted," said Leilani Jones, Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.
In 2020, Ellenberg says California reported its highest maternal mortality rate in a decade. Between 2012 and 2019, she says, at least 19 California hospitals stopped offering labor and delivery services.
A panel of advocates talked about ways to address the crisis.
"So, I think just the more we can cultivate diversity in the medical field, that’s only going to help," said Jennifer Cloyd with First Five Santa Clara County.
"I was there with my daughter when she was pregnant. So, I went to the doctors with her. Just like we saw in the film with Gemma, there were times when my daughter would go in and say she didn’t feel good and would just be overlooked," said Lisa Gauthier, former mayor of East Palo Alto and candidate for San Mateo County Supervisor.
A Netflix short film entitled "Weathering", about a Black woman writer who suffered a miscarriage and nearly died was screened during the program. In 2022, the U.S. maternal death rate for Black women was 69.9 per 1,000, more than double that of White women, which is 26.6 per 1,000.
The panel also discussed the education and safety of black children after watching the animated short film, "Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood" by Venus Jones.
"Unfortunately, California is number one for human trafficking and a lot of the statistics are very grim for black, brown and indigenous children," said Jones.
On Friday, April 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., a virtual perinatal equity conference will be hosted by the Public Health Department in Santa Clara County. Click here for more information.