In summary
Black women are three times more likely to die during or shortly after pregnancy than other women. In 2019, the California Legislature passed a law requiring hospitals to train workers and birth staff on unconscious bias in health care.
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More than two and a half years after a law requiring obstetrics staff to implement racial discrimination in physician training went into effect, only 17% of hospitals were in compliance, according to a report. Findings released by the state Department of Justice Friday.
Attorney General Rob Bonta and others said at a news conference that the training is important because death rates for black mothers remain high in the state.
Although California is considered a national model for improving maternal outcomes, black women are still far more likely to die during pregnancy than other women. According to the California Department of Public Health, they account for only 5% of pregnancies in the state but 21% of pregnancy-related deaths.
Black infants also have the second-highest mortality rate, three times higher than white infants and nearly 1.5 times higher than Pacific Islander infants, state data show.
An investigation by the California Department of Public Health into the causes of all pregnancy-related deaths found that more than half are preventable.
“We need to listen to this data. It’s screaming at us to do something,” Bonta said. “Listen to them and make big changes before another patient gets hurt or worse.”
When the agency began its investigation in 2021, no hospitals were in compliance and no staff had completed training.
CalMatters investigates maternal care in California. Have a tip or story to share? Email health reporters Kristen Hwang and Ana B. Ibarra at info@calmatters.org.
lawmakers passed Dignity in California Pregnancy and Childbirth Laws It was founded four years ago in an effort to reverse the huge disparities in maternal mortality among black women, where black women are three times more likely to die during or shortly after pregnancy than other races. The law requires hospitals and other facilities to train perinatal care providers about unconscious bias in health care and racial disparities in maternal mortality. It came into effect in January 2020.
Bonta recommended that lawmakers adopt additional regulations to strengthen the law, including setting clear deadlines for compliance, designating state agencies to enforce the law, and introducing penalties for violations.
Former state Sen. Holly Mitchell, a Los Angeles Democrat who authored the bill, said “clearly more needs to be done” to implement the policy.
“I sincerely hope that Los Angeles County and all hospitals in the state will work together to ensure that our staff is trained,” said Mitchell, who is currently the Los Angeles County supervisor. “We’re just asking them to abide by the law.”
About 76% of the more than 200 hospitals surveyed had started training employees by August 2022, but had not completed the training, according to the ministry’s report. Two hospitals did not have adequate training for their staff, and 13 hospitals did not provide any information to the department.
“Nearly one-third of the facilities contacted by the Department of Justice began training only after being contacted by the Department of Justice, suggesting that the Department of Justice’s outreach led to compliance in many cases. ” states the report.
Black woman reports abuse at hospital
it is well documented Racial discrimination in medical settings This will lead to bad results.Black women in California consistently report Lack of experience with medical professionals during pregnancyAccording to a recent research review and report by the California Department of Public Health, this includes abuse based on “race, age, socioeconomic class, sexuality, and presumed or actual marital status.”
They also have a hard time convincing providers that they are. in pain Report abuse when advocating for your health during pregnancy. Revealed in a 2016 national survey Half of white medical students and residents believe falsehoods, debunked About the biological differences between white and black patients. Those who endorsed this belief were more likely to ignore patients’ pain and make inaccurate treatment decisions.
“What’s so frustrating about this is that it’s within our power to change it,” Mitchell said.
Rep. Akira Weber, a Democrat from La Mesa and a physician, said implicit bias training is “the bare minimum” medical professionals can do to improve outcomes.
Learn more about the legislators mentioned in this article
State House, District 79 (La Mesa)
State House, District 79 (La Mesa)
Working hours
2021—Present
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Doctors, legislators, educators
Research also shows that maternal health disparities between Black women and their infants exist regardless of the patient’s education or income level.Favored by celebrities serena williams said Beyoncé about her near-death experience during childbirth.
Recent maternal deaths in Los Angeles
Two black women died earlier this year; Bridget Cromer and april valentine, whose birth shocked Los Angeles. Valentine’s death triggered the State investigation and $75,000 fine against Centinela Hospital Medical Center Her daughter was delivered by caesarean section.of The investigation said the hospital “failed to prevent the defect which caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death” to Ms Valentine. These include repeatedly failing to take steps to prevent blood clots, a common risk of pregnancy, even when Valentine complained of heaviness, numbness and swelling in her legs.
of Los Angeles County Coroner decides She died from a blood clot that traveled from her leg to her lungs.
Centinela announced its intention to permanently close the maternity ward days after Valentine’s family filed the complaint. wrongful death lawsuit. The maternity ward, which delivered more than 700 babies last year, was closed on Wednesday.
In a GoFundMe post, Cromer’s family said autopsy results were not yet available, but that she suffered a massive hemorrhage and was readmitted to the operating room after giving birth, where she later died.
Gabrielle Brown, an activist with Black Women for Wellness, said the closure of Centinela’s maternity ward is “a stark reminder of how persistent health care disparities are in our society.”
“This is a reminder of the implicit biases that subtly influence health care decisions and ultimately lead to significant declines in accessibility and quality of care for many members of our community,” Brown said. said.
Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF). People will be able to receive the care they need, when they need it, at an affordable price.visit www.chcf.org You can learn more.
