Discrimination related to race is still a massive problem in modern society. It often results in unfair treatment of ethnic minorities and unfortunate consequences. One of the spheres where racial disparities are still a big concern is healthcare. In the years 2011-to 2015, African American women’s deaths from pregnancy-related complications were more than three times higher than the deaths among white women (Petersen et al., 2019). The statistics do not depend on the insurance payment and socio-economic status of women. Despite the improvement in overall health delivery for pregnant patients, black women still face some challenges in getting on-time high-quality care from hospitals.
The factor that illustrates the presence of racism in healthcare is that medical personnel tend to treat African American women with disregard compared to women of other ethnic origins regardless of their economic class. In the US, black women with governmental health insurance and private insurance show higher morbidity rates than white women with different insurances. Similarly, pregnant women’s families’ incomes have no significant effect on black women’s survival rate compared to other races (Tangel et al., 2018). Thus, various economic backgrounds and the presence or absence of insurance do not affect the maternal death rates among different races.
Moreover, hospitals seem to be more ignorant of black women’s state. According to Tangen et al. (2018), in 2007, the number of black women who had to give birth through cesarian delivery was 12% higher than the number of white women. Also, black women’s stay at hospitals was slightly longer due to complications after the delivery (Tangen et al., 2018). The statistics for 2005-2007 demonstrate that maternal mortality was the highest for African American women (Louis et al., 2015). A physician’s preference plays an essential role in the decision of the delivery method.
On the contrary, healthcare’s fault for deaths among pregnant black women might not be reasonable. One of the indicators of complications during pregnancy is obesity. It is about two times more common among black women than white ones (Louis et al., 2015). Furthermore, the environment around the pregnant woman can predict the success of the delivery. Unfortunately, many black women live in areas with high crime rates and often become passive smokers, leading to a miscarriage of a child (Louis et al., 2015). Therefore, the lifestyle of particular ethnicities can impact the death rates among pregnant women.
Nevertheless, the disease caused by obesity or a bad environment can easily be overcome if treated on time. Louis et al. (2015) claim that these circumstances are preventable and need assistance from caregivers. Healthcare does not focus on the preventive methods that would save the lives of a mother and child. More than 40% percent of pregnant women’s morbidity cases are preventable, but hospitals do not interfere on time. Some organizations aim the equal access to insurance and supportive healthcare for all ethnicities and races (Louis et al., 2015). Hence, there is a need for an immediate response to the dire conditions of black women.
To sum up, some data show that there are prominent healthcare disparities among black women and white women during the carriage and delivery of a child. African American women have a higher risk of dying during pregnancy in comparison to white women. The results do not differ according to the socio-economic background of families. Even though some factors that cause childbirth complications are more common among black women due to their lifestyle, healthcare systems do not provide preventative treatment on time.
References
Louis, J. M., Menard, M. K., & Gee, R. E. (2015). Racial and ethnic disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality.Obstetrics & Gynecology, 125(3), 690–694. Web.
Petersen, E. E., Davis, N. L., Goodman, D., Cox, S., Mayes, N., Johnston, E., Syverson, C., Seed, K., Shapiro-Mendoza, C.K., Callaghan, W.M., & Barfield, W. (2019). Vital signs: Pregnancy-related deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and strategies for prevention, 13 states, 2013–2017. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 68(18). Web.
Tangel, V., Nachamie, A., Pick, J., & White, R. (2018). Racial and ethnic disparities in maternal outcomes and the disadvantage of peripartum black women: A multistate analysis, 2007–2014.American Journal of Perinatology. Web.