Black maternal health week 2021 

Beyond the Baby Blues is joining the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) in observance of Black Maternal Health Week 2021. 

The Black Mamas Matter Alliance is a national network of black women-led organizations and multidisciplinary professionals who work to ensure that all Black Mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy. The alliance is composed of existing organizations and individuals whose work is deeply rooted in reproductive justice, birth justice, and the human rights framework.

Maternal Mortality and Mental Health 

  • The U.S. has an infant mortality rate of 5.8 per 1000 live births in 2017, with a health disparity among Black babies at a rate of 10.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018. (Source: CDC) 

  • Black women are 3 - 5 times more likely to have a maternal death than White women in the United States. (Source: AJMC) 

  • Approximately 700 women die in the United States each year as a result of pregnancy or its complications. (Source: CDC) 

  • Black mothers are more likely to suffer from PMADs (Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders) like postpartum depression, in silence and without clinical help. (Source: Archives of Women's Health)

What is Black Maternal Health Week 2021

#BMHW21 is, first and foremost, a week of education and advocacy around the experiences of Black Mamas. From April 11th through April 17th, through a series of digital and community events, BMHW will uplift Black-women led entities to focus on the root causes of poor maternal health outcomes while also leaning on Black voices to drive conversation around tangible community-driven policy, programs, and solutions.

Black Mamas have always been the guide and bridge for families, communities, movements, and waves of change. The time is now to invest in the advancement in the movement for racial and birth justice. The historical atrocities we work against are deeply rooted in racial and reproductive oppression bent on controlling Black liberation and must be countered with community activation and prioritizing Black Mamas across the African Diaspora.