Incarcerated Mothers Are on the Frontlines of the Black Maternal Health Crisis
America has a public health crisis, and Black women are at the center of it. They are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women—a staggering statistic considering that more than 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Root previously told you about pregnant Black women lacking adequate prenatal care, facing personal and systemic barriers, and encountering providers who were less likely to listen to them. However, beyond these challenges, there is another layer to the Black maternal health crisis that is even more troubling.
To understand this further, consider that women account for 15 percent of the local jail populations and roughly 9 percent in state prisons, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Since 1980, the number of incarcerated women has risen more than 600 percent. The GAO also reported that 4 to 5 percent of those women are pregnant. Adding to the disparity, the Black Maternal Health Caucus reported that in 2023, Black women were imprisoned 1.6 times more than white women and faced an increased risk of maternal mortality while behind bars.
In response, the caucus introduced the “Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act,” which seeks to improve maternal health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women in the justice system. The bill’s key goals include ending the shackling of pregnant people in jails and prisons, creating programs that support pregnant and postpartum mothers, and studying maternal mortality, especially across racial and ethnic groups.
This year, during Black Maternal Health Week, the urgency of these issues is coming to the forefront. Ben & Jerry’s is calling attention to the issue in a social media carousel that highlights reproductive injustice faced by Black mothers. Known for their unapologetic advocacy as much as their decadent ice cream and creative flavors, the brand teamed up with their partner National Bail Out to highlight pregnancy-related deaths for incarcerated Black women.
On TikTok, the campaign is spotlighted in a carousel set to reflective music, opening with the startling headline, “The US Is Failing Black Mothers.” Beyond the statistics on lack of prenatal care and poor treatment, the brand highlights a particularly striking fact: the U.S. is one of only four countries that separate incarcerated mothers from their newborns just hours after giving birth, denying them the opportunity to bond and breastfeed.
One message from the campaign framed the entire issue with clarity, reading: “Reproductive justice means the right to have children, the right not to have children, and the right to raise your children in safety. That applies to everyone — including Black moms who are incarcerated. We believe in a world where motherhood isn’t criminalized and care isn’t withheld as punishment.”
