April 11-17 is recognized as Black Maternal Health Week. Danielle Simmons, a family nurse practitioner in the Hypertension Equity Program at Women & Infants Hospital, spoke with Providence Business News about this and maternal health challenges that Black women face.
PBN: Why is April 11-17 recognized as Black Maternal Health Week?
SIMMONS: Black Maternal Health Week was initiated in 2018 by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. It is held annually from April 11-17 to recognize the higher maternal mortality rates among Black and Brown patients. The CDC reports that the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 2.6 times higher than that for non-Hispanic white women in 2021. Multiple factors, including barriers to care, discriminatory treatment among providers, structural racism, and bias, have been identified as the main contributing factors.
PBN: What unique maternal health care challenges do Black women face?
SIMMONS: Research shows that Black women are more likely to experience health complications during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia, hypertension, and hemorrhage; they also have higher rates of preterm deliveries and low birth weight babies. Black mothers face barriers to care, including lack of transportation, food insecurity, and housing instability, which all contribute to worsening health outcomes for them.
PBN: How do maternal health outcomes for Black women compare with those of other racial groups?
SIMMONS: Black mothers remain disproportionately re-admitted after delivery and are at a higher mortality risk than any other ethnicity or racial group due to the factors mentioned above.
PBN: What efforts have been made to reduce disparities in maternal health care?
SIMMONS: At Women and Infants Hospital, we were able to recognize these disparities. In November 2022, the hospital launched the Postpartum Hypertension Equity Program. Our team, consisting of one nurse practitioner and one community health worker, spearheaded the program to identify high-risk patients. We offered them a 6-week telehealth program by providing patients with a blood pressure cuff for monitoring at home, along with access to log their blood pressure readings remotely. Participants are followed weekly with phone calls to assess any symptoms they may be experiencing and to help adjust medications as necessary. This has significantly reduced the number of readmissions and emergency department visits. With these success rates, the WIH program has since expanded, and our model is now being used in other birthing hospitals.
Another benefit of this program is our ability to assess other needs for the mothers at home. These factors are called social determinants of health – things like lack of housing, food, transportation, and support – and they can disproportionately affect Black women. By maintaining contact through this program, we can help women get the assistance they need, whether through Women & Infants or other community partners.
PBN: What resources are available for those seeking Black maternal health care?
SIMMONS: Women & Infants Hospital offers various resources to support Black maternal health, including a focus on addressing food insecurity among pregnant patients, mental health services, and collaboration with community organizations. We also have a Day Hospital that provides partial hospitalization for pregnant and postpartum women with mental health concerns, ensuring that mothers and babies stay together during treatment. Resources are also available on our
website.
