PCNA’s Advocacy Committee authored an article in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing titled A Call to Action: Cardiovascular-Related Maternal Mortality – Inequities in Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color. Aptly included in the Progress in Prevention column of the journal, the call to action takes a look at the disparities in outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color, as well as the causes of CVD pregnancy-related mortality. For example,

Included in the call to action are these alarming statistics:

• Non-Hispanic Black women in the U.S. have a 4 times greater risk of pregnancy-related death than white women.
• Indigenous women are twice the risk of pregnancy-related death the while women.

The article calls for the passage of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 is a “set of 12 stand-alone bills that will:

1. Make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, such as housing, transportation, and nutrition;
2. provide funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes and promote equity;
3. comprehensively study the unique maternal health risks facing pregnant and postpartum veterans and support Veterans Administration maternity care coordination programs;
4. grow and diversify the perinatal workforce to ensure that every mom in America receives culturally congruent maternity care and support;
5. improve data collection processes and quality measures to better understand the causes of the maternal health crisis in the United States and inform solutions to address it;
6. support moms with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders;
7. improve maternal healthcare and support for incarcerated moms;
8. invest in digital tools such as telehealth to improve maternal health outcomes in underserved areas;
9. promote innovative payment models to incentivize high-quality maternity care and nonclinical perinatal support;
10. invest in federal programs to address the unique risks for and effects of COVID-19 during and after pregnancy and to advance respectful maternity care in future public health emergencies;
11. invest in community-based initiatives to reduce levels of and exposure to climate change–related risks for moms and babies; and
12. promote maternal vaccinations to protect the health and safety of moms and babies.”

You can read the full call to action on cardiovascular-related maternal mortality on the Journal website or download a PDF version. And make sure to take action on the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021.