Dangerous complications from labor and delivery nearly doubled in Massachusetts between 2011 and 2020, part of an increasingly dire national picture of maternal health as the United States continues to lead high-income countries in maternal mortality.
Black and Indigenous women face the highest risks to their health from giving birth across the country. For Black women, this is regardless of income and education levels, as evidenced by the number of high profile Black women who have recently died or faced serious complications during childbirth, such as Serena Williams and Tori Bowie. Indigenous communities continue to be severely underrepresented and excluded from research and coverage so there are large gaps in reliable data and information.
As these communities continue to live this reality, Globe reporter Zeina Mohammed is interested in hearing about how this is shaping reproductive and health choices.
If you identify as a Black or Indigenous woman, tell us: Has seeing, hearing about, or experiencing poor maternal outcomes affected your opinions or decisions about motherhood or childbirth? Is it impacting your relationship, career, or financial choices? If you are open to speaking with Zeina about your experience, please tell us in the survey below.
Zeina Mohammed can be reached at zeina.mohammed@globe.com. Follow her @_ZeinaMohammed.