CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH H e a l t h Eq u i t y H e a l t h Eq u i t y
Oluwatosin Oyadiran, John R. Lewis Social Justice Fellow | August 2023
Fact Sheet
Exploring Expanded Protections for Black Working Mothers
Introduction The maternal health crisis disproportionately affects Black women and causes unfavorable outcomes stemming from racial and ethnic disparities. For over two decades, the mortality rate among Black mothers was either stagnant or consistently rose, with over 2.5 times higher death rates than white and Hispanic women between 2018 and 2021 (Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021, 2023). Black working mothers encounter further discrimination related to pregnancy and breastfeeding, inadequate legal protections, and little concern for their safety and well-being in the workplace (Gonzales, 2023).
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Fact Sheet: Exploring Expanded Protections for Black Working Mothers
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