Black Maternal Health Week brings attention to the unequal treatment of Black mothers in healthcare.

Black Maternal Health Week is observed every year from April 11 to 17.

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The week is used as a national call to action to raise awareness of racial disparities in maternal health, particularly among Black women.

In Chicago, Black women are six times more likely to die during pregnancy, or within one year after birth, than white women, according to a report.

Many believe that the difference in maternal mortality rates is mainly due to challenges such as financial difficulties, unequal access to high-quality maternal care, and deep-rooted racism present in the healthcare system. A concerning fact is that a large portion of these deaths could be prevented.

Michelle Adeniyi from the March of Dimes visited ABC7 Chicago talk about what we can do to support Black mothers.

March of Dimes will be conducting an informative online session titled “Advocacy & Solutions: Elevating Black Maternal Health” aimed at raising awareness on this issue. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, from 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. For more details about this event, you can access the information by clicking here.

Multiple events are happening this week to help share information on Black maternal health.