Locally and nationally, Black women are at a much higher risk than women of other races of dying during pregnancy, or the year after.

“Across our region, we’ve seen, and data demonstrates, that Black women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes, and most of these deaths are preventable, unfortunately,” Dr. Darrell Gray, president of Wellpoint Maryland, the largest Medicaid-managed care organization in the state, told WTOP.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, multiple factors contribute to the higher maternal mortality rate among Black mothers, including access to quality health care and underlying health conditions.

Gray said regardless of a person’s income or education, the “pattern of disparities … have persisted.”

“We know that there’s bias and racism that’s impacting health care. We understand that there are other variables such as what we call ‘social drivers of health’ that can contribute. That means where someone lives … (and) how housing secure, food secure they are,” Gray said.

During this year’s Black Maternal Health Week, he’s urging the partners of Black moms and moms-to-be to step up.

They may be the first to notice something isn’t right with her health and ensure she gets checked out, Gray said.

“They can alert the appropriate health care provider about warning signs such as headaches or chest pain, bleeding or abnormal abdominal pain and swelling, and shortness of breath. These can be emergencies that men, that those partners, that those husbands can identify,” he said.

Gray said it’s not about speaking for Black women, but backing them up when they need to speak to a health care provider.

“I think when people are informed, engaged, and present and empowered, we can really change the disparities that we’re seeing,” he said.