U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to Release Report: Racial Disparities in Maternal Health

On Wednesday, September 15, 2021, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will release its report, Racial Disparities in Maternal Health. The report examines the federal role in addressing racial disparities in maternal health, including negative pregnancy-related health outcomes and pregnancy-related deaths of women in the United States. Current data show most maternal deaths are preventable, increasing the urgency for reliable, consistent statistical data. As attention of these disparities increases, so does the focus on the stark disparities such as, Black women in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women in the U.S., and Native American women are more than two times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women in the U.S. These disparities have become more severe over the last thirty years.

As part of this report release Commission Chair, Norma V. Cantú and Commissioner, Debo Adegbile will hold a press call on the release of the report.

We also invite you to view the virtual briefing, which informed this report.