Another Voice: Black maternal health needs support and we can all help

As a daughter, mother of three girls, and grandmother of four, Black Maternal Health Week, which ends April 17, is an important time for me to reflect.

The designation calls attention to issues that should be priorities all year long.

Take for example the disturbing statistic that in New York State, black women are four to five times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause, and that in our community, we’re seeing similar mortality rates. What’s more, the CDC noted that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

Let that sink in. These deaths are preventable.

My hope is that this week encourages us to do more than just respond with “That’s terrible.” That we would take time to find out why our health systems filled with the best and brightest are seeing women and their babies suffer, rather than bask in the beauty of expanding their families.

At United Way, we understand that there is nothing wrong with black pregnant women and birthing persons; there is something wrong with the care they receive. we recognize an urgent need for equity in maternal healthcare, and so we’ve responded with a number of solutions that disrupt the system.

One of the most important programs we’ve been able to help facilitate is the Medicaid Doula Pilot Program. This program was founded on the belief that more doula care can empower Black mothers with a dependable connection to healthcare and actual joy in their birthing process.

Still, Erie County was the only county in the state willing to take on the doula pilot program proposed by NYSDOH, and getting this pilot off the ground was not without its challenges. There were two issues that threatened the program, but through collaboration, United Way and our partners were able to overcome them.

The first challenge was that doulas reported trouble accessing the hospital delivery rooms. The second challenge was that the doulas faced billing issues. Because we know the difference even one woman by the bedside can make, we had discussions with our partners in the healthcare space that resulted in solutions. These solutions ultimately led to the expansion of Medicaid to include doula care at reimbursement rates that helped to increase the income of the doulas.

Now, we’re looking to our next initiative: access to breastfeeding. The long-term health benefits of breastfeeding to both mom and baby are undeniable.

This is the work of your United Way, but we never do our work alone. During the coming days and beyond, I am asking that you join me in saying that black maternal mortality and the disparities faced by black women and birthing people are unacceptable, and together we can make meaningful change.

Trina Burruss is president and CEO, United Way of Buffalo & Erie County.