*Content warning: death of an infant, infant loss, death, birth trauma, medical trauma, medical neglect, racism, mature and stressful themes. *Free + Confidential Resources + Safety Tips: somethingwaswrong.com/resources *Sources: American College of Nurse Midwives https://midwife.org/ American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) https://www.acog.org/ Birth Centers Offer Potential to Transform Maternity Care Through Community-Led Approaches that Focus on Families of Color https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2024/08/19/birth-centers-offer-potential-to-transform-maternity-care-through-community-led-approaches-that-focus-on-families-of-color/ CDC, Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2023 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2023/maternal-mortality-rates-2023 CDC, Working Together to Reduce Black Maternal Mortality https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice: https://blackmaternalhealth.tufts.edu/ Comparative Analysis of Therapeutic Showers and Bathtubs for Pain Management and Labor Outcomes—A Retrospective Cohort Study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/ Fetal Heart Monitoring https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/fetal-heart-monitoring Fundal Height https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22294-fundal-height Health Equity Among Black Women in the United States https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8020496/ Insights into the U.S. Maternal Mortality Crisis: An International Comparison https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2024/jun/insights-us-maternal-mortality-crisis-international-comparison March of Dimes https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/about-us March of Dimes, Data: Heath Insurance/Income https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/data?reg=99&top=11&stop=653&lev=1&slev=4&obj=1&sreg=48 https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/data?reg=99&top=11&stop=154&lev=1&slev=4&obj=1&sreg=48 Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) https://www.meacschools.org/ Monitoring Baby’s Heart Rate During Labor https://familydoctor.org/monitoring-babys-heart-rate-labor/ Mucus Plug https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21606-mucus-plug Nasal Cannula https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25187-nasal-cannula National Midwifery Institute https://www.nationalmidwiferyinstitute.com/midwifery CDC, National Vital Statistics Reports https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-05.pdf North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) https://narm.org/ State investigating Dallas birth center and midwives, following multiple complaints from patients https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/investigates/state-investigating-dallas-birth-center-midwives-following-multiple-complaints-from-patients/287-ea77eb18-c637-44d4-aaa2-fe8fd7a2fcef Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/ Water breaking: Understand this sign of labor https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/in-depth/water-breaking/art-20044142 Zucker School of Medicine, Amos Grunebaum, MD https://faculty.medicine.hofstra.edu/13732-amos-grunebaum/publications *SWW S23 Theme Song & Artwork: Thank you so much to Emily Wolfe for covering Glad Rag’s original song, U Think U for us this season! Hear more from Emily Wolfe: On Spotify On Apple Music https://www.emilywolfemusic.com/ instagram.com/emilywolfemusic Glad Rags: https://www.gladragsmusic.com/ The S23 cover art is by the Amazing Sara Stewart Follow Something Was Wrong: Website: somethingwaswrong.com IG: instagram.com/somethingwaswrongpodcast TikTok: tiktok.com/@somethingwaswrongpodcast Follow Tiffany Reese: Website: tiffanyreese.me IG: instagram.com/lookieboo
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Something Was Wrong is intended for mature audiences. This season contains discussions of medical negligence, birth trauma, and infant loss, which may be upsetting for some listeners. For a full content warning, sources, and resources, please visit the episode notes.
Opinions shared by the guests of the show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of myself, Broken Cycle Media, and Wondery. The podcast and any linked materials should not be misconstrued as a substitution for legal or medical advice. At the time of this episode's release, midwives Jennifer Crawford, Gina Thompson, and Caitlin Wages have not responded to our request for comment.
This season is dedicated with love to Malik. Every year in the United States, hundreds of women die during or after pregnancy, and many more face serious long-term health complications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 80% of these deaths are preventable. Tragically, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
This disparity is driven by a variety of factors, including inequities in healthcare quality, underlying chronic health conditions, and social determinants of health that limit access to care, particularly for racial and ethnic minorities. the U.S. continues to have the highest maternal death rates among high-income nations.
Within the U.S., Black women are disproportionately affected, often receiving lower-quality care than white women, with significant disparities in care processes, outcomes, and overall patient experiences. These inequities are deeply rooted in discrimination and clinician bias.
In 2023, the CDC reported the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, far higher than the rates of white women at 14.5, Hispanic at 12.4, and Asian women at 10.7. While the rates for white, Hispanic, and Asian women decreased from 2022, the rate for Black women rose slightly from 49.5 per 100,000. Race also plays a component in infant loss.
According to the CDC, in 2022, the United States reported a total of 20,577 infant deaths, marking a 3% increase from 2021. The highest mortality rate was observed among infants of Black non-Hispanic women, at 10.90 per 1,000 live births.
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