A new study demonstrates that the Houston area is the deadliest place in the United States for Black women giving birth. The disturbingly high Black maternal mortality rate in the Texas location, combined with high levels of death among Black infants, appears to stem from a variety of factors. With these staggering statistics, several individuals and organizations are working to address the health crisis facing Black mothers.
The Houston area is the most dangerous place in the country for pregnant Black women
Chron reported that a new study demonstrates that Harris County, Texas, has the nation’s highest rate of Black maternal mortality. The study, which reviewed data from 2016 to 2020, showed that pregnancy-related deaths among Black women in the county amounted to 83.4 per 100,000 live births, while similar deaths among white women were roughly one-fourth as high. This statistic makes Harris County the deadliest place for pregnant Black women, with maternal deaths exceeding the already high national race gap, which stands at rates of 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births for Black women compared to 19.1 deaths per 100,000 live births for white women.
A multifaceted issue
As Capital B News reported, the magnitude of the Black maternal health problem is particularly troubling for the Houston area, where roughly 1 million of the city’s 5 million residents are Black. The crisis extends after birth, with the rate of Black infant mortality, 11.6 per 1000 live births, more than doubling the national average. Houston-area OB/GYN Esohe Faith Ohuoba told Capital B that multiple factors contribute to the disturbing Black maternal health crisis in Harris County.
“Things like access to quality care, financial stability, housing, education, and even the stress that comes from navigating systemic inequities” all play roles, she said and also pointed to “systemic gaps in communication, cultural awareness, and trust,” all of which create a situation in which “women of color don’t always receive the same level of attention or intervention as others.”
Raising awareness and funds to address the mortality gap
With this multifaceted problem creating dire situations for pregnant Black women and their children, many individuals and organizations are working to resolve the situation. Harris County has received over $9 million to fund a five-year maternal health program that addresses the crisis; since its inception in April 2023, the program has served over 400 families. Advocates like Kay Matthews, who founded The Shades of Blue Project after delivering a stillborn child in 2013, have worked to raise awareness on the issues of maternal and infant mortality among the Black population. Rayna Reid Rayford, another Houstonian who faced a potentially fatal medical issue during her pregnancy, founded Pregnant and Black to draw attention to the crisis and to build community among pregnant Black women.
These efforts are important steps to address and potentially shrink the significant gaps in maternal mortality between Black and white women and the stark differences in survival for Black and white infants. With the magnitude of the disparities, however, more awareness, resources and training are needed to address the differences in survival rates that have impacted Houston and communities around the country.