BUFFALO, N.Y. — A rise recently in maternal mortality in the U.S. has put the focus on why so many women of color are experiencing problems.
Black Maternal Health Week wraps up Monday. The week-long campaign is intentional. It raises awareness about the real-life experiences of women while pregnant, during childbirth, and after.
According to the CDC, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women.
Here in Buffalo, organizations want to make a difference in wake of the statistics. Channel 2's Claudine Ewing shares what local health providers are doing and
"Black Women who are college educated and have a higher high income still have worse outcomes than high school grads who are white," LuAnne Brown, with Buffalo Prental Network said.
"It is unacceptable we're in 2023. These outcomes shouldn't be as bad as they are and women. To feel confident knowing that if they're going to be helped by our provider, especially here in Erie County, that they can be listened to and their concerns will be addressed," Alexcia Harrod, Melinated Moms Founder said.
"Our goal is to help support them through their pregnancy so they'll have a healthy birth outcome," Daynell Rowell-Stephens, Supervisor for Nurse-Family Partnership at Catholic Health.
Rowell-Stephens said the home visiting program that she supervises at Catholic Health supports first-time moms with visits every week and support needed.
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