Black Maternal Health: Top-Performing Hospitals Supporting Pregnant Women Of Color

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In honor of Black Maternal Health Week 2024, U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has identified the top-performing Maternity Care Hospitals dedicated to supporting Black maternal health.

The media site examined high-performing Maternity Care Hospitals nationwide and discovered 26 hospitals across 13 states delivering outstanding outcomes for cesarean sections and managing unexpected newborn complications specifically for Black patients.

According to the report, 26 hospitals rated as high performing in their Best Hospitals for Maternity Care rankings. These hospitals served a minimum of 20 Black patients annually, boasting newborn complication rates below 2.62% and cesarean section rates under 23.9% (for hospitals offering advanced care) or 23.6% (for those not offering advanced care) among their Black patient population.

What hospitals made the list?

The hospitals include Allina Health United Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, California, and Bakersfield Memorial Hospital located in Bakersfield, Georgia. 

North Carolina reigned supreme with the highest number of distinguished hospitals, boasting six facilities that have excelled in managing cesarean sections and unforeseen newborn complications among Black patients. Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Novant Health Matthews Medical Center in Matthews, North Carolina among those praised for their response and care toward Black maternal health matters. 

Conversely, the following states each have only one hospital recognized for achieving outstanding outcomes in these areas among Black patients: Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. 

View the complete list of respected hospitals here.

U.S. News & World Report’s latest analysis serves as a glimmer of hope as Black women continue to fight back against the maternal health crisis in America.

Pregnancy-related deaths are soaring in the U.S. among Black women, according to a 2023 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. As previously reported, last year, the analysis found that maternal death rates had more than doubled among Black women. 

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021, the maternal mortality rate among non-Hispanic Black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, marking a rate 2.6 times higher than that of non-Hispanic White women, standing at 26.6. The rates for Black women were notably elevated in contrast to those for white and Hispanic women.

Dr Allison Bryant, a co-author behind the alarming study, used state-by-state data ranging from 2009 to 2019 to assess the growing problem. She argued that “structural” and historical “racism” may be to blame for the health crisis. However, Dr. Gregory Roth, another co-author behind the eye-opening study, claimed that environmental factors could be driving the maternal health crisis. The University of Washington official said that pregnancy-related deaths are worsening in places where people are known to have “better health.”

Black women are frequently advised to opt for cesarean sections as a precaution against complications during vaginal delivery, yet bleeding and hemorrhaging pose potential fatal health hazards. Open Democracy reported that Black women undergo cesarean sections at a rate 35.9 percent higher than white women. However, when performed safely and meticulously, this procedure could prove life-saving for both the mother and child. The hospitals listed in the new U.S. News & World Report are at the forefront of this effort.

SEE ALSO:

Black Maternal Health: Former NFL Cheerleader’s Death Spotlights Racial Equity In Sepsis Care

Tori Bowie’s Autopsy Results Spotlight The Lingering Black Maternal Health Crisis

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