Black Maternal Health Week Calls Attention to Arkansas’ Maternal Mortality Crisis

Black Maternal Health Week underscores the need for more resources and support for pregnant Black women.

While Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the US, according to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, black women in the state are twice as likely to die as a result of pregnancy as white women.

According to ACHI data, 84 out of 100 new moms will begin prenatal care in their first trimester of pregnancy.

Furthermore, one had no insurance during pregnancy, ten smoked cigarettes in the last three months of pregnancy, and 25 reported feeling depressed while pregnant. “I believe we must recognize the risks in our mothers early on when they are pregnant,” ACHI President Joe Thompson stated. “We need to make sure they have access to prenatal care during their pregnancy and that they have the birth in the safest location possible.”

Chronic diseases before pregnancy, healthcare access concerns, and physician trust issues are some of the frequent factors that may contribute to the elevated pregnancy-related fatality rate among Black moms in Arkansas.

According to Dr. Thompson, there has been a push for more doulas in Arkansas to help smooth the relationship between mother and physician and to advocate for moms during their pregnancy journey.

Doulas are non-clinical caregivers who are trained in birthing and assist moms with a variety of needs during pregnancy. ACHI declared in January that it supports and would advocate for Medicaid coverage of doula services as well as the recruitment of more doulas in Arkansas.