These states have the highest maternal mortality rates. For Black mothers, outcomes are even worse

Charles Johnson said his wife, Kira, was in “exceptional health” when she died from childbirth in 2016. Kira Johnson had a C-section at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Charles noticed blood in her catheter and other signs that something was wrong. When he begged hospital staff to help her, a nurse told him she was “not a priority.” Kira was hemorrhaging internally, and by the time she was cared for at the hospital, it was too late. Her death was preventable. In fact, 84.2% of all pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

This fact highlights the need for improved maternal health care at the hospital level, more initiatives at the community level, and stronger policy at the state level to regulate the care pregnant people receive regardless of race, insurance status, and socioeconomic status. Charles, now a maternal health advocate, supports and advocates in front of Congress for key legislation to help stop preventable maternal death, including the Preventing Maternal Death Act of 2018, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021, and the California Momnibus Act. His organization, 4Kira4Moms, is currently advocating for Congress to pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 (which includes the Kira Johnson Act), introduced by Illinois Democratic Rep. Lauren Underwood.

“The greatest impact that the federal Momnibus will have on a state level is expanding postpartum Medicare and Medicaid to 12 months postpartum for all mothers,” Charles told Stacker. “In many states, postpartum healthcare cuts off after six weeks, leaving millions of mothers extremely vulnerable.”

Besides improving the quality of care and access to care to address the nation’s high maternal mortality rate, Charles said the U.S. needs policy to address the root of the racial disparities in maternal health: bias and racism.

“The Federal Momnibus, and more specifically the Kira Johnson Act, will provide greater accountability measures for hospitals and providers, including mandatory implicit bias training for all birthing centers and hospitals nationwide,” he said.