How to empower fathers in the fight for mothers’ lives


April 1, 2023

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How is it possible that in the richest nation on earth, childbirth remains all too often a death sentence?

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics reveals that the United States is now the most dangerous place among high-income countries to give birth, with maternal deaths reaching the highest rate in nearly 60 years. Black women were disproportionately affected by maternal mortality, with a mortality rate 2.6 times higher than that of white women, and 30 percent of all maternal deaths occurred among Black women. 

Doctors and health officials have attributed this alarming trend to numerous factors such as cardiovascular problems, healthcare disparities and the added pressure of COVID-19, including healthcare disruptions during the pandemic. Nevertheless, as we search for ways to prevent maternal mortality in the U.S., there has been a growing recognition of one key group’s role in promoting maternal health and reducing maternal mortality rates: expectant fathers.

The full op-ed can be found on The Hill's website.