Washington, D.C. — Today, Reps. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) and Alma Adams (D-NC), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and the Black Maternal Health Caucus introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021. Black and Indigenous women are around three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications and are also more likely to suffer from severe maternal morbidity. Studies have shown that the underlying causes are multifaceted, including racism and bias in health care, inadequate health care access, subpar housing, air pollution, and more.
Jamille Fields Allsbrook, the director of women’s health and rights at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:
The maternal health crisis, which disproportionately harms Black and Indigenous birthing people, has gone ignored and persisted for decades. As the nation seeks to reckon with racial injustices and inequities in the U.S. health care system exposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the time to address maternal inequities is now. Black birthing people and their families can no longer wait. The Momnibus is a comprehensive response to the problem—tackling health care access, quality of care, social determinants of health, and more. We applaud Rep. Lauren Underwood, Rep. Alma Adams, and the Black Maternal Health Caucus for their thoughtful and intentional leadership in advancing health equity and look forward to helping advance this critical legislation.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Colin Seeberger at [email protected] or 202-741-6292.