Black Maternal Health Week
Black Maternal Health Week is about the stories.
Every April, Black Maternal Health Week (April 11–17) offers us a vital moment to pause, reflect, and take action around one of the most urgent public health crises in the United States: the disproportionate and often preventable maternal mortality and morbidity experienced by Black women. Founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance in 2018, this week amplifies the voices and leadership of Black women and birthing people, who have long been advocating for systems that honor their health, wellness, and dignity.
Black women in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. This statistic is consistent across income, education level, and health status. In other words, it’s not just about access to healthcare—it’s about racism within healthcare. Implicit bias, structural inequities, and historical trauma all play a role in this crisis.
It’s a racial justice issue.
Black Maternal Health Week is about the stories. The lived experiences of Black mothers navigating systems that often don’t believe their pain, don’t listen to their instincts, and don’t center their care. The tragic deaths of women like Shalon Irving, Kira Johnson, and Tori Bowie serve as painful reminders of what’s at stake. Their lives, and the lives of countless others, compel us to act.
There is power in the community-led solutions that have been building long before national headlines paid attention like the work of Baystate Birth Centers and Worcester Community Midwifery. Black doulas, midwives, policy advocates, and organizations like the Black Mamas Matter Alliance are creating models of care that center trust, cultural understanding, and reproductive justice.
This week is also a call to those outside the Black community to show up year-round. To listen without defensiveness, to advocate for policies that address systemic barriers, and to support Black-led organizations doing the work. From expanding Medicaid coverage for postpartum care to supporting maternal mental health resources, we all have a role to play.
In 2024, we passed a landmark Maternal Health Equity bill aimed at reducing racial disparities and improving outcomes in maternal health. The legislation expands access to comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care, mandates the collection and public reporting of race and ethnicity data in maternal health outcomes, and increases support for community-based organizations serving Black, Brown, and Indigenous birthing people. It also includes provisions for culturally competent care, extends postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, and invests in diversifying the perinatal workforce across the Commonwealth.
“It is with immense gratitude that we get to revel in this moment of progress, celebrating the Senate’s monumental commitment to improving the quality of life, maternal and mental health care for our most at-risk constituents. With the birth justice bill on its way to Governor Healey’s desk, we are taking a crucial step forward in tackling the Black maternal health crisis by expanding prenatal, postpartum, mental health, midwifery, and doula care, while enabling the growth of free-standing birth centers across our Commonwealth,” said Senator Liz Miranda (D-Boston). “I extend my heartfelt thanks to the 28-member, Special Legislative Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health for their vital recommendations, as well as the coalition of advocates who have committed unwavering support to seeing this bill through to the end. Together, we are advancing perinatal care and ensuring better health outcomes for individuals and families throughout our Commonwealth. I am proud to share this moment with you all and look forward to a brighter, more equitable future for all.” (https://malegislature.gov/PressRoom/Detail?pressReleaseId=137)
At its heart, Black Maternal Health Week is about reclaiming agency. It’s about envisioning a world where Black mothers and birthing people not only survive pregnancy—but thrive through it. It’s about honoring the full humanity of Black women and fighting for a system that does the same. Because reproductive justice means autonomy, dignity, and joy.
This week was a chance to learn, to uplift, and to move with purpose toward a future where every Black mother is seen, heard, and supported.
Thank you to all of the organizers, both far and near, who took the time to host events, workshops, and webinars over the course of this week. Here are some of the events we attended:
