[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H2458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK

  (Ms. PLASKETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, this Black Maternal Health Week, we 
confront the glaring reality that Black women in America are three 
times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications across 
socioeconomic criteria and education than similarly situated White 
women.
  Research highlights a disturbing attribution, that Black women are 
also significantly more likely to encounter disrespectful treatment 
during childbirth, facing scolding, threats, and even outright 
hostility.
  These disparities in treatment are not new. They are deeply embedded 
in the fabric, unfortunately, of our healthcare system and our society.
  The fact that maternal death in the U.S. has more than doubled over 
two decades, with Black mothers suffering the highest rate, is a 
national tragedy. Moreover, the CDC's finding that over 80 percent of 
those deaths were preventable should be a call to action.
  As a mother of five and a mother for a daughter, I find the current 
trajectory deeply troubling and wholly unacceptable. It poses a severe 
threat to the health and safety of Black women and all women across our 
Nation. It is paramount that we improve awareness of the urgent 
maternal warning signs and ensure the provision of timely, respectful, 
and quality care. We must save these lives.

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