RICHMOND, Va. -- The first multi-state summit on how to address Black maternal health care at the local, state, and federal levels took place at the Virginia General Assembly Friday.
The Black Maternal Health Legislative Summit brought together lawmakers from across the country for discussions and workshops centered on improving maternal health outcomes for Black mothers.
Nichole Wardlaw, a Virginia-based midwife, said she has faced her own struggles in the health care system.
"I came into this work first because I was one of the statistics," Wardlaw said.
For Elle Schnetzler, director and owner of the birthing center BirthCare & Women's Health in Alexandria, Virginia, her work is personal, too.
"I just decided that is the space that I wanted to be in," Schnetzler said. "Helping people in general, but especially the mothers that look like me."
Now, both work to ensure Black mothers have the support they need before, during, and after pregnancy.
"I knew that I would never want anybody to experience what I did with my first pregnancy," Wardlaw said.
"The difference in access to care is based on your state, and that shouldn't be the case," Schnetzler said.
Racial discrepancies in health care have long been an issue in the United States. According to the CDC, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related issue than white women — a statistic driven by things like underlying chronic conditions, structural racism and implicit bias are among the driving factors.
"This isn't just a health issue, it's a moral imperative," said Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth).
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott said that while lawmakers have passed several bills to address these issues, some plan to introduce more bills next session in what they're calling the "MOMnibus" — such as legislation that would require medical professionals to take implicit bias training.
"On top of that, we plan to file bills that will prioritize maternal mental health care, paid family leave, a health equity bill dedicated to helping all moms have successful outcomes," Don Scott said. "I said, all moms, and establishing a standard maternal task force."
Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott said a similar effort is taking place at the federal level.
"This is preventable, and so, there is a solution to the problem," Bobby Scott said.
Those who want more integration of midwives and doulas in the healthcare system — including Wardlaw and Schnetzler — improvements are long overdue, and there's no reason the U.S. can't do better.
"We have all the technology, all the bells and the whistles, all of this money, but we cannot seem to wrap our minds around centering our clients and doing right by them," Wardlaw said.
Gov. Glenn Younkin's Maternal Health Data Task Force met for the first time at the Capitol on Thursday, which included the launch of a new campaign to address heart health in pregnant women.
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