This is an urgent public health crisis that demands a response.
So we asked all the major 2020 presidential candidates what they plan to do about it.
The numbers are sobering.
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Clearly the number of people dying due to pregnancy or childbirth in the United States is already staggeringly high.
But for certain racial groups, the crisis is even more urgent.
The maternal mortality rate for black non-Hispanic women is 42.8 deaths per 100,000 live births.
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Many of these issues are things we know how to detect, monitor, and treat.
It is inexcusable that so many people are dying from them.
So why is this happeningand why are black women at such higher risk?
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Black people are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to have unintended pregnancies.
Black people are also more likely to experience discrimination from a health-care provider.
All of these things contribute to the bang out of care a pregnant person or new parent receives.
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The alliance says that the social determinants of health are affected by policies, economics, and social hierarchies.
Public-health researchers and policy experts are proposing solutions.
Activists from the most affected communities are also weighing in about what they believe will make a meaningful difference.
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And some of our elected officials and those seeking office are giving this issue the attention it deserves.
Heres what they saidor didnt saypresented in alphabetical order by last name.
As president, he will bolster home visitation programs to support new moms.
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He will also prioritize increasing the number of ob/gyns, especially in rural areas.
Bennets campaign did not offer information on how he plans to address the racial gap in maternal mortality specifically.
This is a disgrace.
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He said that he would focus additional support in communities with the highest rates of maternal mortality.
Ill double-check states and hospitals are equipped to prevent and respond to pregnancy complications.
You dont have to scratch the surface of this issue very deep to know it is about racial bias.
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Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), among others.
Kamala has been a leader in the fight for racial justice throughout her career, hercampaign sitesays.
This includes expanding medical research to evaluate the effects of medications on women and women of color specifically.
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Inslee would also call for further support for Planned Parenthood.
He used California as an example, citing theCalifornia Maternal Quality Care Collaborative(CQMCC).
Ensuring that these straightforward and successful initiatives are taken up nationwide will be a top priority for my administration.
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Moulton also pledged to tackle institutional racism and inequality.
Maternal mortality is highest among populations that suffer most from these national problems.
According to nationally representativeU.S.
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Sanders would also seek to place providers and resources in traditionally underserved communities.
Black women are three to four times more likely than white women to die in and around childbirth.
We need to hold health systems accountable for protecting Black and Brown moms.
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Warrens April 30, 2019op-ed forEssenceoutlines her plan to reduce maternal mortality in more detail.
She proposes a health-care pricing model based on episodes rather than each separate visit or procedure.
We need to take action on several fronts to improve the situation and save lives.
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She proposed the following areas for action:
Black women deserve safe pregnancies and good health, Williamson says.
I will work to make that a reality.
So how can you evaluate these plans?
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With so much information available, how can you evaluate what each candidate is proposing?
How can you tell which plans, if implemented, will actually make a difference?
This is definitely an epidemic, Simpson says.
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Are there black women involved?
It necessitates holding our elected officials and presidential hopefuls accountable by showing them that voters demand change.
you might ask questions during campaign events or town halls.
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you’ve got the option to support community organizations and grassroots activist groups financially or through volunteer work.
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