NCDHHS said Black women are almost twice as likely to experience maternal mortality.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — For more than 20 years these two zip codes 27101 and 27105 in Winston Salem have had the highest rate of infant mortality.
On Wednesday two agencies stepped up to improve birth outcomes for expecting mothers in these areas.
Expecting mothers were given a sash and treated like royalty at Novant Health’s and Boston Thurmond United’s community baby shower.
“It’s for moms to gain access to resources,” said Katherine Caster with Novant Health. “To learn about options for care for their children. For prenatal care, for postpartum care and for moms to feel cared for.”
Caster said oftentimes expecting mothers in Winston-Salem’s black communities aren’t aware of available resources.
It has led to high mortality rates in mothers or unfavorable pregnancies and birthing experiences.
Lakeisha Terry said that was her experience because no one told her better care was available.
“I felt like nobody would understand what I went through. When I had my children I had something called hyperemesis,” Terry said. “It’s where you are sick often you vomit a lot. I was also going back and forth to the emergency room because I was a patient at the downtown health plaza and at that time their schedule was always backlogged so appointments were 2-3 months in between.”
Despite challenges, she gave birth to a healthy child who’s now 19 years old.
But Terry has made it her purpose to protect other mothers.
She was one of 20 nonprofits at the community baby shower offering support.
Data shows although black mothers die from pregnancy complications at a much higher rate than other ethnic groups 80 % of those deaths were preventable.
That’s why Regina Hall with Boston Thurmond United said they’re working behind the scenes to ensure mothers get equitable care.
“We gather moms that started with us sharing their birth stories and we have them share their stories with Novant Health and the health department,” Hall said. ” They then talk about possible community solutions and take at these systemic issues.”
Hall said it’s hard to track down the cause of high mortality rates in black neighborhoods.
But she encourages healthcare professionals to keep this in mind as we head into Black Maternal Health Week.
“We’re asking that folks in the medical profession provide a little more care and a little more time with moms, taking a deep breather with mom,” Hall said. “Understand there’s a lot of anxiety, particularly with black moms in knowing what these rates are.”