 OMH Celebrates Black Maternal Health Week
Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW), April 11 – 17, is observed during National Minority Health Month in an effort to bring awareness of the gaps in maternal health experienced by Black women in the U.S. The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) works with partners to reach, educate and inform racial and ethnic minority populations during BMHW by amplifying efforts from federal and non-federal partners.
Significant racial and ethnic maternal health disparities exist in the U.S. Compared to non-Hispanic white women, non-Hispanic Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes and one and a half times more likely to experience severe complications among hospital deliveries. For Black mothers, the risks are higher at each stage of the labor, delivery, and postpartum process, regardless of income or education level. Contributors for these high rates are rooted in implicit and/or explicit bias and structural racism in social determinants of health, chronic stress, and quality of care.
In late 2020, HHS issued the Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America to help address risk factors before and during pregnancy and improve the quality of access to maternity and postpartum care. In addition, OMH is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop tools and resources that will support maternal mortality review committee’s (MMRCs) in their efforts to address disparities in maternal mortality among racial and ethnic minority women.
During Black Maternal Health Week, OMH and partners are highlighting the following initiatives and activities:
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Maternal Health e-Learning Program - OMH’s free maternal health e-learning curriculum is designed to develop maternal health care providers' knowledge and skills related to culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS), person centered care and understanding implicit bias across the continuum of maternal health care. The course includes information on maternal health disparities experienced specifically by Black and American Indian individuals, and the training is intended to be responsive to these issues and CLAS for all racial/ethnic groups. The course is available to all physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, certified nurse midwives, and certified midwives.
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The e-learning program covers:
- Self-awareness of beliefs, bias, and stereotypes
- How and why to get to know a patient’s cultural identity
- Strategies for providing respectful, compassionate, high quality maternal healthcare
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Black Maternal Health Virtual Conference – April 16-17: Hosted by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, the conference will feature clinicians, professionals, advocates and other stakeholders working to improve maternal health, including a presentation from the HHS Office of Minority Health on culturally and linguistically appropriate care in maternal health. Find out more about the conference here.
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View a related presentation by Roslyn Holliday-Moore, MS, OMH Deputy Director for Programs, about OMH’s new maternal health e-learning program.
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Black Maternal Health Week Resources - Supported by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, the page includes local events, resources and information about the BMHW Virtual Conference.
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Here are some ways you can help promote the observance:
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