Black Mothers Are Dying: America Must Answer the Call

A National Call to Action for the Incoming Congress

By Lorna Owens | Author, Attorney, Former Registered Nurse and Midwife, and Women’s Health Advocate

There is a crisis unfolding in America that should trouble the conscience of every elected official, every healthcare professional, and every citizen.

Black women in America are dying from pregnancy-related causes at rates that should be unacceptable in a nation with some of the most advanced medical technology in the world.

And yet, where is the national outrage? Where is the urgency? Where is the sustained commitment to ensuring that pregnancy and childbirth do not become a death sentence?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2024, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 44.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 14.2 for White women.

That means Black women were more than three times as likely to die from maternal causes.

Although the Black maternal mortality rate declined from 50.3 in 2023, that change was not statistically significant. The disparity remains devastating.

These are not simply statistics.

These are mothers. Daughters. Sisters. Wives. Friends. Women who entered hospitals expecting to bring new life into the world and whose families instead faced unimaginable loss.

As a former registered nurse and midwife, I understand that pregnancy carries medical risks. But I also know that many maternal deaths are preventable.

We must ask ourselves a difficult question:

Why, in the United States of America, does the color of a woman’s skin remain such a powerful predictor of her risk of dying during pregnancy and childbirth?

Research points to a complex intersection of systemic racism, unequal access to quality healthcare, chronic health conditions, socioeconomic inequalities, and failures to recognize and respond promptly to obstetric emergencies.

We have heard the stories of Black women whose pain was dismissed, whose symptoms were minimized, and whose concerns were not taken seriously.

Education and economic success do not eliminate these disparities. Black women from all walks of life deserve to be heard, respected, and protected.

What Must America Do?

The solutions are not beyond our reach. What is required is political will, investment, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to saving women’s lives.

First, we must make maternal healthcare a national priority. Every woman deserves access to quality prenatal care, safe childbirth services, and comprehensive postpartum care, regardless of her income, race, or ZIP code.

Second, we must strengthen the maternal healthcare workforce. America needs more midwives, obstetric professionals, community health workers, and doulas, particularly in underserved communities and maternity care deserts.

Third, we must confront racial disparities within healthcare. Hospitals must adopt evidence-based protocols, improve emergency response systems, examine disparities in outcomes, and ensure that every woman’s voice is heard.

Fourth, we must invest in research and accountability. Maternal mortality review committees need sustained support to investigate deaths, identify preventable factors, and translate their findings into meaningful reforms.

Finally, we must protect postpartum care. The risks of pregnancy do not end when a baby is born. Women need continuing medical care, mental health support, and access to treatment for complications that may arise months after delivery.

A Message to the Incoming Congress

As America prepares to welcome a new Congress in January 2027, I am calling upon every newly elected and returning member of the United States Senate and House of Representatives to place maternal health at the forefront of the national legislative agenda.

This must not become another issue buried beneath partisan divisions.

There is already legislation designed to address this crisis. The Momnibus Act, championed by members of Congress including Representatives Lauren Underwood and Alma Adams and Senator Cory Booker, offers a comprehensive framework for reducing preventable maternal deaths and improving maternal healthcare.

The next Congress should examine this legislation, strengthen it where necessary, fund effective interventions, and move urgently toward meaningful action.

Maternal survival should not be a partisan issue. It is a matter of human dignity, public health, and national responsibility.

We Cannot Wait Until April

Every April 11–17, America observes Black Maternal Health Week.

It is an important opportunity to raise awareness, honor women whose lives have been lost, and advocate for change.

But Black mothers cannot wait for an awareness week.

They cannot wait for another election cycle.

They cannot wait for another congressional study that produces recommendations without action.

The time for action is now.

I have spent much of my life advocating for women and maternal health, including supporting the training of midwives in Africa. I have witnessed what happens when women lack access to safe, compassionate, skilled maternity care.

And I believe deeply that every woman, whether she lives in Africa, America, or anywhere else in the world, deserves the opportunity to experience pregnancy and childbirth with dignity, safety, and hope.

No woman should die giving life because her healthcare system failed her.

I am calling on our elected representatives, healthcare institutions, professional organizations, and communities to make reducing maternal mortality a measurable national priority.

Let us demand progress. Let us demand accountability. Let us demand that the lives of Black mothers matter not only in our speeches, but in our budgets, our legislation, our hospitals, and our actions.

Because when we protect mothers, we protect families.

And when we protect families, we strengthen the very foundation of our nation.

America, our mothers cannot wait.

Lorna Owens

Founder, Footprints Foundation

CEO, Desert Sage Lifestyle Wellness