Sep 26, 2024 Story by: Editor
A recent report from Harris County Public Health reveals that the Houston region, despite being home to the largest medical complex in the world, has had the highest Black maternal mortality rate in the U.S. since 2016. The report highlights various factors that contribute to the poor health outcomes of Black mothers and their infants.
Black women face higher risks for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart complications, which can exacerbate pregnancy difficulties. These disparities are partially rooted in historical inequities like limited access to nutritious food.
The report also noted a staggering statistic: Black women who have graduated from college are 60 times more likely to die during childbirth compared to white and Hispanic women who haven’t finished high school.
In 2022, Dionna Jacobs experienced this firsthand when she lost her second son, Hendrix, during childbirth. She recalled her painful ordeal to ABC13, explaining that when she arrived at the hospital with her partner, she was “screaming to the top of (her) lungs.” Jacobs said, “I knew something was wrong,” as the pain differed greatly from her previous delivery.
“(Staff) would be like, ‘Oh, it’s probably just your first baby. Oh, she’s a young mom,’ and I would have to keep saying, ‘No, this is my second baby. No, I’ve actually delivered here before,'” Jacobs shared, frustrated that her pleas went unanswered.
She also revealed how her partner had to find a wheelchair on his own. “I definitely think that they just saw a young Black girl and assumed I was being overdramatic of my pain,” she added. Jacobs eventually delivered Hendrix without assistance. “I pushed him out by myself, he landed on the table, nobody caught him,” she said, devastated by the staff’s lack of response.
Despite her pleas to care for her son, one nurse told her, “Oh no, girl, he’s already gone.” It wasn’t until a Black nurse entered the room that Hendrix was swaddled. “Another African American woman saw me struggling,” Jacobs remarked.
Initially, doctors suspected a placental rupture, but Jacobs later learned that her placenta was intact. She chose not to have an autopsy performed and still doesn’t know why Hendrix died. The data, however, shows that Black infants in Harris County are two to three times more likely to die during or before delivery than white infants.
“We are definitely disproportionately disadvantaged. Unfortunately, in this county, we are three to four times more likely to die from childbirth than white women,” said Kay Matthews, founder of the nonprofit Shades of Blue.
Matthews, who lost her daughter Troya during childbirth 11 years ago, nearly lost her life as well. She was sent home without resources, battling postpartum depression. Her nonprofit now helps more than 3,000 women and families annually by providing free psychiatric services, clothing, and other forms of support.
“It’s making sure that no one has to feel what I feel,” Matthews said. “Every time I’m doing this, I’m showing up to this building. I assure you that Troya mattered.” Source: ABC 13
