Dr. Thomasena Ellison, associate director of gynecology at Maimonides Health, joined NY1 anchor Rocco Vertuccio for Wellness Wednesday to discuss the ongoing disparities in Black maternal health. In New York State, Black women are five times as likely to die from complications from pregnancy than white women.
In response to that statistic, Dr. Ellison says, “It hits me hard as a healthcare provider, it hits me hard as a woman of color, it hits me hard as the mother of a daughter, it hits me hard as someone who has given birth. . . . It’s very, very sad, but I can say we are moving forward, and we have taken positive steps to alleviate this and make it better.”
The issue is a complicated one given the ways systemic racism can negatively impact every aspect of healthcare for marginalized and minoritized populations, from how accessible care is to how culturally competent providers are and how patients are treated at appointments.
Dr. Ellison urges women to be inquisitive and to keep asking questions about their health and the care they’re receiving. She also discusses the importance of women speaking with their primary care providers before getting pregnant, to make sure any other conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, that might impact the pregnancy can be managed successfully. Dr. Ellison says Maimonides “has elevated primary care to be the forefront of our care, so that these women who choose to become pregnant will be in the best of care.”
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About Maimonides Health
Maimonides Health is Brooklyn’s largest healthcare system, providing more than 1 million patient visits each year through the system’s three hospitals, 1,800+ physicians, and more than 80 community-based practices and outpatient centers. Our system is anchored by Maimonides Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest independent teaching hospitals and home to centers of excellence in numerous specialties; Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital (formerly New York Community Hospital), a 130-bed adult medical–surgical hospital; and Maimonides Children’s Hospital, Brooklyn’s only children’s hospital and only pediatric trauma center.
Maimonides’ clinical programs rank among the best in the country for patient outcomes, including our Heart and Vascular Institute, Neurosciences Institute, Bone and Joint Center, and Cancer Center. For additional information, please visit www.maimo.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.