The Hidden Health Disparities in Preterm Birth
How Inequity Affects Prematurity and What We Can Do to Help
Olympic Gold Medalist Allyson Felix was shocked when she discovered she had severe preeclampsia at 32 weeks pregnant.
Prior to her diagnosis, she had no idea she was even at risk.
In an interview with Kristen Welker on Meet The Press, she said, “I thought maternal health was solely about fitness, resources, and care. If that was true, [I thought] why was this happening to me?” “I was a professional athlete. I had taken care of my body my entire life.”
She goes on to explain how severe her case was, describing how concerned the doctors were about her having a stroke or losing her vision. What started as a routine checkup resulted in an emergency C-section, and her daughter was delivered later that night.
Allyson is not alone in her experience. All over the world, black women are not being informed about their risk for preeclampsia or other dangerous pregnancy complications. Black women have a maternal mortality rate about three times the rate for white women, yet we rarely hear about this health disparity.
Had Allyson been informed that she was at risk, she could have monitored her blood pressure, detected her condition early, and received medical intervention. While she may still have given birth prematurely, she could have avoided the shock and trauma of such an unexpected turn of events.
We need reliable solutions to help black families get the information, resources, and support they need. While inequity stems from much deeper, systemic problems, there are a few things we can do to help raise awareness about racial health disparities in pregnancy and preterm birth.
Get Informed About Health Disparities
According to the CDC, Health disparities are “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, or violence. They are directly related to the unequal distribution of social, political, and environmental resources.”
Common health disparities include maternal mortality, mental health issues, cancer, and underinsurance. Often, marginalized people face social, educational, or economic barriers that make it more difficult for them to receive the care they need.
Or, in some unfortunate cases, healthcare providers may have implicit biases against their patients, resulting in lower quality of care, misdiagnosis, or worsened health outcomes.
While you’d hope we could put our hope and trust into the medical system, this is not always the case. It’s important to be aware that these health disparities exist so we can identify and call attention to these issues when they arise.
Spread Awareness
You may have found the maternal mortality data I mentioned in the introduction startling. I know I did.
When we learn statistics like this, it’s vital that we share it. And reshare it. It’s said that it takes hearing something seven times before the message really sticks. When we hear about inequity in the context of preterm birth–or otherwise, we can spread awareness by sharing it verbally, through social media, or other mediums.
Here are a few more statistics to spread the word about:
Black infants are 50% more likely to be born preterm and twice as likely to be born very preterm
Likely contributors to health disparity in preterm birth include socioeconomic factors, chronic stress, racial discrimination, and systemic racism
Fetal deaths are almost twice as common among black women compared with white women
Encourage Pregnant Women to Talk to Their Doctor
In addition to spreading awareness, we can talk to the pregnant women in our lives and encourage them to ask questions and advocate for themselves.
As Allyson Felix said in her interview, “I felt like I had great medical care, but that’s not always enough.”
If we are aware of the potential for health disparities, we can empower our friends and family to check if they have any risk factors for preeclampsia, for instance. If they do, they can discuss these concerns with their provider. Or, if someone we love feels unheard by their doctor, we can encourage them to find a provider who makes them feel seen and listened to.
The important thing is to validate our loved one’s experiences. Sometimes, we need people on our side before we feel comfortable speaking up.
Support New Efforts to Mitigate Health Disparities
Thanks to growing awareness around inequity in tandem with the advances in medical technology, new efforts are popping up to help prevent preterm birth and other pregnancy complications.
Last year, the FDA approved a new blood test that predicts preeclampsia early. It works by detecting two proteins in the blood that predict poor outcomes from preeclampsia with 94% accuracy. This test can be taken between 23 and 35 weeks of pregnancy.
Startups like Elythea are getting the attention of investors. This particular company uses machine learning to detect life-threatening pregnancy complications before they ever happen. 80% of maternal mortalities are preventable, and they want to address that.
There is a lot of work to be done on the inequity front, especially when it comes to preterm birth. As Allyson Felix’s story illustrates, health disparities are still wreaking havoc on many American’s lives.
It makes you wonder, how many women’s stories are we not hearing? How many women are being disregarded in the doctor’s office or delivery room? We need to do better. Our providers, institutions, and policymakers need to make changes and soon. Black women’s lives depend on it.
For more resources and support, check out our services page. If you want more clarity and peace on your preemie parent journey, you can book a free call with me here.