According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, and most of the maternal deaths are preventable. This heightened risk spans all income and education levels. While multiple factors contribute to this disparity, the bottom line remains the same — we must act now to reduce this inequity.

Black Maternal Health week takes place every year from April 11-17. It is an observance that strives to bring awareness to the disparity and amplify the voices and experiencers of Black pregnant individuals.

Dr. Tashima Lambert Giles, an OB/GYN at VCU Health, discuss the importance of Black maternal health and what the health system — and its patients — can do to improve outcomes.