April 11 through 17 is Black Maternal Health Week, a time to raise awareness and address health disparities pregnant Black women face. For example, in New York City, Black women are 12 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.
“Needless to say, that’s disheartening,” says Dr. Thomasena Ellison, associate chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Maimonides Health. “But the fight will go on; we will push on.”
These complications and deaths are preventable, and rates are dropping for white women. Dr. Ellison says, “I think one of the things that is missing is not having the patient at the table of discussion, right, and planning so that we can have programs that are impactful specifically for her and her family situation. As I say, structural racism is very deep with very deep roots. We need to dig those roots up.”
Dr. Ellison highlights Maimonides’ robust high-risk pregnancy program, in which maternal–fetal medicine specialists can help identify potential issues early on in pregnancy, if not before pregnancy, to help ensure the best possible outcomes for mother and baby.
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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.