The State of Black Maternal Health in Colorado

Voiceover

Presenter(s)

Mercy Kibet

Abstract or Description

In the United States, Black women/birthing individuals experience disproportionate maternal mortality rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “In 2020, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.9 times the rate for non-Hispanic White women” (2022). Moreover, “In Colorado, the preterm birth rate among Black women is 37% higher than the rate among all other women” (MarchofDimes). This research proposal is driven by two broad research questions: (1) How does race and racism impact the maternal healthcare experiences of Black women/birthing individuals in Colorado? (2) How are maternal health care providers working specifically to improve the maternal health care experiences of Black women/birthing individuals in Colorado? To answer these questions, I plan to conduct 20 interviews: 10 interviews with Black women/birthing individuals and 10 interviews with care providers who support and care for Black women/birthing individuals during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Interviews with Black women/birthing individuals will focus on their general experiences receiving maternal health care in the US. Interviews with providers will ask about how they are working to alleviate the disparities that Black women/birthing individuals face in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. This project seeks to affirm the experiences of Black women/birthing individuals in Colorado and to educate maternal health care providers in order to alleviate the disproportionate maternal mortality rates.