Equity & Inclusion
As the demand for midwifery continues to expand, the profression of midwifery needs to reflect the same level of diversity that exists among the people in midwives’ care. To address disparaties in healthy outcomes and structural racism, ACNM has partnered with Johnson & Johnson “Our Race to Health Equity” to develop the Access to Equity in Midwifery Education and Care Program. Scroll through the infographic below to learn why this work is so important for maternal care in the United States
80% of maternal deaths are preventable. What can we do?
Black women die at 2.9 times the rate of white women with a maternal mortality rate of 43 deaths per 100,000 live births. (Hoyert, 2022. CDC, 2022)
This is an increase from previous years. These differences persist even among women with higher education. (Peterson et. al. 2019)
Midwives have good outcomes!
Research supports the positive outcomes of midwifery care:
- increased patient satisfaction
- lower use of interventions
- reduced cesarean births
- decreased number of low birth weight and preterm infants
- and more!
(Homer et al, 2014)
The problem is we don't have enough midwives
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends midwives as an evidence-based approach to reducing maternal mortality. (UNFPA, 2014)
We really don't have enough Black midwives.
16% of the birthing population is Black (CDC, 2020), in comparison to Black midwives making up just 7% of AMCB-certified midwives. (AMCB, 2021)
Growing the midwifery workforce may improve health & reduce disparities
Having a midwifery workforce that reflects the community it serves can improve health equity and racial disparities. We also know that race concordant care improves communication and birth outcomes. (Greenwood et al., 2020)
Higher education in HBCU's is the way to go to build the midwifery workforce
Midwifery programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities can help black students learn, grow, and develop in an educational culture that supports, understands, and positively positions future midwives for sustainable success.
In Summary, Access to Equity in Midwifery Education and Care supports HBCU's to develop midwifery education programs and improve recruitment, retention, and graduation of midwives of color.
Citations
Hoyert D. Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2020/maternal-mortality-rates-2020.htm Published February 23, 2022. Accessed October 3, 2022.
Petersen EE, Davis NL, Goodman D, et al. Racial/ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related deaths — United States, 2007–2016. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2019;68(35):762-765. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6835a3
Homer CS, Friberg IK, Dias MA, et al. e projected e ect of scaling up midwifery. e Lancet. 2014;384(9948):1146-1157. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(14)60790-x
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System. Natality Records 2016-2020. CDC WONDER Online Database. Accessed on Oct 3, 2022. http://wonder.cdc.gov/natality-expanded-current.html
American Midwifery Certi cation Board. 2021 Demographic Report. 2021. https://www.amcbmidwife.org/docs/default-source/reports/demographic-report-2021.pdf?sfvrsn=cac0b1e8_2. Accessed October 3, 2022.
Greenwood BN, Hardeman RR, Huang L, Sojourner A. Physician–patient racial concordance and disparities in birthing mortality for newborns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2020;117(35):21194-21200. doi:10.1073/pnas.1913405117
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