WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 60% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says black women are three to four times more likely to die during pregnancy than white women.
Charles Johnson’s wife - Kira - bled internally for 10 hours after a routine C-section and died.
It sparked her husband to create a nonprofit in his wife’s name dedicated to advocating for improved maternal health policies.
“There were three-and-a-half liters of blood in my wife’s abdomen from where she had been allowed to bleed and suffer needlessly,” said Johnson, founder of 4Kira4moms.
On Thursday, lawmakers on Capitol Hill discussed legislation that aims to prevent maternal deaths and complications.
It’s a bipartisan issue with both Republicans and Democrats having recently introduced bills.
“Birthing while black should not be a death sentence,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts).
The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, introduced this year, would fund community-based organizations that work to improve maternal health. It would improve data collection and expand postpartum Medicaid coverage.
“My wife won’t wake up to breakfast in bed this Mother’s Day because she gave birth in a country that didn’t see her, that didn’t value her,” said Johnson.
Maternal health legislation was introduced right as the pandemic hit in 2020 but was never passed into law.
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