As you may know, every year approximately 2,000 Ohio women experience a severe maternal morbidity, or an unexpected outcome of labor and delivery that results in significant short- or long-term consequences to a woman’s health, and 21 women die of complications related to their pregnancy.
In Ohio, Black women are 2.2 times more likely to die from a cause related to pregnancy than white women. These disparities begin during pregnancy and continue through the first year after delivery. For more information, view the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Fact Sheet.
Following are resources to help you raise awareness during Black Maternal Health Week:
Learn more about the Hear Her campaign and what the CDC is doing to raise awareness about maternal mortality. We all play a role in recognizing urgent maternal warning signs and engaging in conversations with pregnant and postpartum women about concerns they have about their health.
- Infographics
- Social media
- Videos
- For materials intended for health care professionals who support patients, visit the Health Care Professional Campaign Materials webpage.
- Fact Sheet: Maternal Mental Health: Black Women & Birthing People
- February 2022 Newsletter: During Black History Month, We are Shining the Light on Black Maternal Mental Health
ODH’s Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) program has published several data reports on maternal morbidity and mortality that can be found on its website.
The Black Maternal Health Momnibus, reintroduced in the 117th Congress in February 2021, is an ambitious and critical package of legislation that aims to address the maternal health crisis facing the United States.