Definitions & Basics
The death of an infant between 1 day and 1 year of age. (Deaths before age 28 days can also be classified as neonatal mortality.)
What is infant mortality?
The #1 leading cause of maternal death worldwide.
What is severe bleeding/hemorrhage?
This racial group in the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate.
What are Black women?
Something pregnant people should do regularly to prevent complications.
What are prenatal checkups?
The death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days after birth.
What is maternal mortality?
True or False: High blood pressure (preeclampsia/eclampsia) can cause complications in pregnancy.
True.
Black women are about how many times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women?
2-3 times more.
Professionals who provide extra support during pregnancy and birth, especially for Black women.
What are midwives/doulas?
True or False: The U.S. has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates compared to other wealthy countries.
False. The U.S. has one of the highest.
Name two common causes of infant mortality.
Premature birth, low birth weight, birth complications, infections, or SIDS.
True or False: Infant mortality rates are the same for all races in the U.S.
False. Black infants die at over 2x the rate of white infants.
True or False: Postpartum checkups are just as important as prenatal care.
True.
About how many women die each year in the U.S. from pregnancy-related causes? (closest number wins)
Around 700.
Besides medical issues, name one factor that increases risk of maternal death in the U.S.
Lack of access to healthcare, delayed treatment, systemic racism, or poverty.
Name two reasons for these racial disparities.
Less access to quality care, higher stress levels, or implicit bias from healthcare providers.
Name a policy or system change that could help reduce maternal mortality.
Expanding healthcare access, implicit bias training for providers, paid parental leave, or better postpartum support.
The acronym MMR stands for ____.
What is Maternal Mortality Rate?
Unsafe __________ are a major cause of preventable maternal deaths globally.
What are abortions?
When healthcare providers make assumptions about patients based on race, often unconsciously.
What is implicit bias?
About ___% of maternal deaths in the U.S. are considered preventable.
About 60% of maternal deaths in the U.S. are considered preventable.