Dec 16, 2024 Story by: Editor
Alexandria Hall-Mabrouk, a 37-year-old mother-to-be, arrived at a prenatal checkup feeling overwhelmed. Balancing two jobs, she turned to her doctor for help.
“I need help,” Hall said.
Her doctor, seemingly unprepared for her plea, was taken aback. “I was looking for some sort of support during that time and just somewhere I could turn to and they had no answer for me,” Hall recalled. “It made me feel hopeless and inadequate. A lot of times you are downplayed and told you are fine and you are just pregnant. ‘That is normal aches and pains.’”
Hall’s health concerns were far from routine. She switched doctors, but her condition worsened. She developed pre-eclampsia and delivered her baby six weeks early via cesarean section. Post-delivery, she was hospitalized multiple times.
“If they had just validated my feelings and known where to refer me, my mental and emotional health would have improved, and as a result, my child may have not been born prematurely,” Hall said.
Her experience reflects broader challenges faced by Black and multiracial women in Waterbury and across Connecticut. Black women encounter higher maternal mortality rates, elevated cesarean delivery rates—which increase maternal and neonatal complications—and a higher prevalence of premature births compared to white women.
“Waterbury is not faring well with the increase around Caesareans,” said Althea Marshall Brooks, executive director of Waterbury Bridge to Success. “That is a concern for Black women of color. It increases the likelihood of difficult outcomes.”
Addressing Inequities in Black Maternal Health
Bridge to Success, a coalition of over 250 community leaders and organizations, aims to address these disparities. The organization prioritizes racial equity and Black maternal health by promoting preventive care, educating providers about implicit bias, and advocating for breastfeeding education for Black women.
Breastfeeding offers long-term health benefits for both mother and baby, yet cultural biases often deter Black women from this practice. “We see moms who are not educated on the option of breastfeeding and the benefits for them,” said Lauren Fruehan, a lactation services and perinatal navigator at Waterbury Hospital. She explained that some healthcare providers assume Black mothers will use formula through programs like WIC without discussing breastfeeding options.
Fruehan noted the historical roots of these biases, pointing out that during slavery, Black women were forced to breastfeed for their owners, often leaving their own babies unfed. “I think those biases still exist: the assumption that Black women are lazy and don’t want to pump or breastfeed,” Brooks said.
The Data Behind the Crisis
A 2024 March of Dimes report revealed that 9.3% of babies in Connecticut were born prematurely, with Black mothers facing a 1.4x higher preterm birth rate than other groups. Additionally, in 2021, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births—2.6 times higher than for white women, according to the CDC.
Statewide, Connecticut ranks 49th out of 52 states in low-risk cesarean deliveries. The state Maternal Mortality Review Committee found that between 2015 and 2020, 90% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable, with Black women disproportionately affected. While Black residents make up about 10.7% of the state population, they accounted for 19% of maternal deaths during that period.
Discrimination played a role in 70% of deaths from 2018 to 2020, according to the review committee. Issues such as lack of care coordination, dismissive attitudes, and cultural incompetence contributed to these outcomes.
“This national crisis demands immediate federal intervention to save lives and increase the quality of care women of color receive,” said Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District. Hayes introduced the Social Determinants for Moms Act, which seeks to establish a government task force to address maternal health disparities and fund initiatives improving social determinants of health.
Advocating for Change
Healthcare leaders in Waterbury are working to combat these disparities. Dr. Brooke Redmond, chairwoman of pediatrics at Waterbury Hospital, emphasized the importance of addressing implicit bias in healthcare settings. “What the data shows us is that the more we know about infant maternal health, there is implicit bias that influences how patient outcomes are reflected,” she said.
Reflecting on her experience, Hall hopes her story inspires other mothers to advocate for themselves. “It is important to rally for moms to take care of themselves and speak up if they don’t feel OK,” she said.
Efforts to improve Black maternal health in Waterbury, led by organizations like Bridge to Success, offer hope for change. However, ongoing investment and collaboration are needed to address the systemic inequities that continue to impact Black mothers and their children. Source: CHA
