Black Maternal Health Week: Addressing Maternal Mental Health in the Black Community

1 in 5 new moms experience a maternal mental health condition (MMH), such as anxiety, depression or PTSD. However, 40% of Black moms experience one of these conditions – nearly twice the average rate for all women. In recognition of Black Maternal Health Week, the teams at the Bronson Birthplace are raising awareness of these disparate outcomes, sharing local resources, and talking about the ways we are working to help improve outcomes for the Black moms who trust us for their maternity care.

In the U.S., Black women are 3x more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women.

• In the state of Michigan between 2016-2020, Black women were 2.2x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes when compared to white women.
• In 2021, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 2.6x higher than the rate for non-Hispanic white women.
• The CDC notes that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. 

What are Maternal Mental Health (MMH) Conditions?

Having a baby is a life-changing experience. For many, it is a time of excitement, joy and love. However, this major life moment can cause negative feelings and emotions for some. Some examples of maternal mental health conditions are:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Bipolar disorder (which may include psychosis symptoms)
• Substance abuse
• Postpartum psychosis (rare)

Why are Women of Color Suffering at a Higher Rate than White Women?

There are a variety of reasons women of color, including Black women, are at an increased risk of developing a maternal mental health condition – social determinants of health (SODH) being a major factor.

SODH are the conditions in which people are born, live, learn, work and play. This includes factors like having access to safe housing, healthy foods and physical activities, education and jobs, and more. Unfortunately, Black people are more negatively impacted by social determinants of health, and are at an increased risk of experiencing racism, unemployment, gaps in medical insurance, lack of access to high-quality medical and mental health care, and more.

So what does this mean for new moms of color? It means that they are more likely to experience some of the following situations, when compared to white moms:

• Systemic racism: The effects of systemic racism takes a toll on the overall health and wellbeing of Black people. Stress, anxiety and fear increase the likelihood of developing MMH conditions.
• Distrust of the healthcare system: Historically, some Black people have been mistreated by medical providers. Additionally, there is often a lack of representation within the black community in the medical field. These factors have led to a deep-rooted mistrust of the health care system.
• Fear of child protective services: Black mothers are found unfit by welfare workers at a higher rate than white mothers, even when taking factors like education and income into consideration. This can cause some Black women to avoid bringing up their mental health concerns, for fear of unjustly losing custody of their baby.
• Logistical barriers: Issues such as transportation, time off from work and childcare can prevent women from getting the care they need.
• Screening tools: Most mental health screening tools were tested and developed using mostly white women. Because of this, the tools often do not account for beliefs and attitudes that are grounded in culture and religion. Also, they do not assess for physical symptoms, which Black people often use to describe their feelings of depression.

What is Being Done to Help New Moms in our Black Community?

At Bronson, we are committed to providing exceptional healthcare and making it easier for EVERY person to access. This vision underscores our commitment to equity. We are constantly striving to meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve. This includes growing our OB/GYN team, and equipping them with the resources needed to support the health needs of Black mothers and their families.

Racial Bias Taskforce

Following a 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment, it was clear that racial/ethnic disparities were negatively affecting the health outcomes of Black moms and their babies in our community. Bronson created a task force to address these issues and improve the perinatal experience and outcomes for all. Thanks to the work of this taskforce, in 2023 Bronson:

• Led Trauma-Informed Care Training for Bronson’s labor and delivery team.
• Uplifted work of the Baby Friendly Hospital initiative and Centering in Pregnancy program.
• Created and shared a pain management flyer that is provided to birthing people at admission and also shared with participants in Bronson’s prenatal education courses. The flyer is available in four languages (English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Burmese).
• Supported doulas in the OR during c-sections at both Bronson Battle Creek and Bronson Methodist Hospitals.
• Developed new, culturally appropriate birth education and nutrition resources.
• Improved the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) screening collection and referral process for babies and expecting families.
• Conducted an exit survey for all families prior to discharge from the Bronson BirthPlace. The exit survey assesses patient’s pain management satisfaction, overall experience and the care received, as well as connects moms in need to local resources that can help.

Bronson CenteringPregnancy® Program

CenteringPregnancy® is a program for moms-to-be that combines expert prenatal care with group support. It is available for patients who receive care at Bronson Obstetrics, Gynecology and Midwifery Specialists in Kalamazoo, as well as Grace Health in Battle Creek. In 2022, 164 women of color participated in the program.

Some program highlights include:

• Support from a certified nurse midwife (CNM) and other healthcare experts
• More time with your healthcare provider
• More hours of prenatal education and support
• Private physical exams, lab tests and ultrasounds
• Confidential group discussion
• Ongoing support after your baby is born
• Pre-scheduled appointments so you can plan ahead for childcare, work and other commitments

Learn about our CenteringPregnancy® Program

Community Resources

A number of community resources are currently available that are helping to address Black maternal health. Learn more by visiting these websites:

• Black Arts Kalamazoo helps develop potential and creativity in Blacks in the Kalamazoo area, advance the awareness of Black artistic ability, preserve Black cultural heritage and enhance interactions among diverse groups in the community.
• Cradle Kalamazoo is a multi-agency community initiative that aims to identify and implement evidence-based and holistic interventions to reduce infant death and promote respect for families, women, and their children. Cradle Kalamazoo’s scope has been maternal-infant health, as pregnant women have been a priority focus from our inception. Their goal is to reduce infant death and promote respect for families, women and their children.
• Michigan Breastfeeding Network is on a mission to advocate, educate and community-build alongside families and organizations for the advancement of an equitable, just and breastfeeding-supportive culture.
• Milk Like Mine/Bellies Like Mine provides lactation support and doula services for mothers of color. Their breastfeeding coalition meetings provide a safe space for mothers of color and community members to come together virtually every second Saturday of the month.
• Rootead/Red Birth Green provides accessible, full-spectrum reproductive care to the Kalamazoo area. The WOC-founded and led team offers all-embracing community care for the modern age. Red Birth Green was founded as a way to address Black infant mortality with community care and principles of traditional healing practices.
• South West Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative is a group that together is working to facilitate authentic collective impact and community focused strategy by connecting families and partners in Southwest Michigan to drive system change in maternal and infant health.