Tori Bowie and the Black Maternal Health Crisis

By: Claire Farrington, GOTV Intern

On May 2, just two weeks after the end of Black Maternal Health Week, decorated Olympic athlete, Tori Bowie, was found dead in her home. Her cause of death? Pregnancy complications, specifically respiratory distress, and eclampsia. Only four years after she last competed in the World Championships, Bowie was still in excellent physical condition. How, then, could someone so healthy, who lives in such a wealthy country, die from pregnancy complications? 

The answer lies in the state of maternal health in the United States. The U.S. has the worst mortality rate of all high-income countries, and is only continuing to rise. The CDC estimates that more than 80% of all pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable. If this isn’t bad enough, the numbers surrounding Black maternal health are even more alarming. 

In 2016, Bowie competed in the 4x100 meter relay at the Rio Olympic Games with teammates Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, and English Gardner. The team won gold. Fast forward seven years, and both Madison and Felix have also experienced serious pregnancy complications. Incredible athleticism aside, what did these two have in common with Bowie? They were Black women. 

Bowie’s cause of death, eclampsia, occurs when a pregnant woman experiences seizures or comatose after developing preeclampsia, of which rates are 60% higher among Black women than White women. This increased rate of preeclampsia among Black women contributes to a much higher rate of pregnancy-related deaths among this population. According to the CDC, “Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women”. These racial disparities are frightening and can all be attributed to the systematic racism ever present in our society. Black women are disproportionately subject to the strains of poverty, housing instability, overworking, and exposure to pollution. These factors, combined with broader healthcare inequities, including access to care, quality of care, and provider bias, all have adverse effects on Black maternal health. This needs to change if we want to see improved maternal outcomes for Black women. 

In Indiana, we are currently ranked 46th in the nation for our maternal mortality rate, and the preterm birth rate among Black Hoosier women is 42% higher than the rate among all other women. On Wednesday, July 26 we are hosting another Listen, Connect, & Participate to discuss these numbers further. Join us at 6 pm at 10 East Arts Club to hear expert and legislator opinions on the state of maternal and infant health in Indiana. You can buy tickets here.