Black Maternal Mortality and Morbidity: An Urgent Crisis, Abyssinia Lissanu, GS (2305516)

While childbirth and pregnancy have become much safer for U.S. women on average, this does not hold true for all racial and ethnic groups. I focus on Black American women, who experience disproportionately negative healthcare outcomes, particularly with regards to maternal mortality and maternal morbidity. Of late, this issue has received more attention, especially as several high-profile Black celebrities (pop superstar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and tennis champion Serena Williams) have documented their own healthcare struggles during pregnancy and childbirth. But the roots of this healthcare disparity stretch back centuries, to the inception of slavery in the U.S. and the commodification of Black womanhood.