The U.S. health care system hasn’t been great about taking care of expectant mothers, especially moms of color.

Data has shown that stark racial disparities in maternal and infant health have existed for decades, with Black and American Indian mothers more likely to die as a result of childbirth.

In Detroit, a lot of expectant moms face grim outcomes in a number of ways. The city had the highest preterm birth rate at over 15%, according to a recent report from the March of Dimes. 

These statistics speak to a larger problem. People of color, especially Black women, face roadblocks to accessing health care more broadly. They also have worse health outcomes due to factors like racism, financial barriers and historical trauma.

In honor of Black Maternal Health Week, The Metro had a conversation with Dr. Mona Hanna, a Michigan pediatrician who is leading efforts to improve maternal health care and child poverty in Flint.

Her program, Rx Kids, provides cash payments to expectant mothers during pregnancy and throughout the child’s first year to accommodate families’ basic needs. The program, funded through public and private dollars, is now expanding to Wayne County.

Wayne State Professor of Emergency Medicine Dr. Phillip Levy also joined the show to discuss the Wayne Health Mobile Unit, which takes health care on the road to low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, creating easier access for pregnant moms. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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