Streamlly Original
The deadly consequences of dismissive maternal care in the US
Reported by Streamlly Newsroom
- Published: Dec 21, 2025, 8:35 PM EST
- Duration: 30 sec
Dec. 22, 2025 Chicago — Karie Stewart, a nurse practitioner, midwife and mother who runs Melanted Midwives, says Black women in the U.S. are facing a maternal health crisis that she said is rooted in “structural racism,” distrust, and dismissiveness by healthcare professionals not taking the concerns of pregnant patients of color seriously. Black women in the U.S suffer pregnancy-related deaths at rates two to four times higher than White, Hispanic, and Asian women. According to statistics in the U.S., mortality among Black women has risen to 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births—a stark contrast to the rates for non-Hispanic White women (14.5), Hispanic women (12.4), and Asian women (10.7). “We’re not listening,” Stewart said of those in healthcare. “We do what we want to do—and because of that, Black and Brown people are dying.” Disparities remain across education and income levels, with even highly educated Black women facing higher maternal mortality than less educated White women. Stewart says the most pivotal time is not always labor itself, but the weeks and even months after birth. She said nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths occur postpartum when mothers are not under close medical supervision. The midwife said Black women are disproportionately impacted, often discharged without adequate follow-up, someone to advocate for them or the support needed, and are left navigating life-threatening complications by themselves.