The Past, Present and Future of Black Maternal Health

Maternal mental health does not exist in a vacuum. For many Black mothers, stress, fear, and mistrust are shaped by personal experiences and a broader history of unequal care, which makes support that much more important. Let’s use Black history month to tell discuss this history with clarity and care, and center the lived experiences of Black mothers.

Slavery shaped Black maternal health in ways that still echo today. After the United States ended the transatlantic slave trade in 1808, enslavers increasingly treated pregnancy and childbirth as sources of profit, not moments of care. Enslaved Black women were denied autonomy over their bodies, and many were forced to endure unsafe conditions with little or no medical support. This history is not only physical, it is psychological. It laid a foundation of fear, stress, and grief that can be carried across generations.

After emancipation, the Jim Crow era continued to restrict where Black families could receive care and who could provide it. Segregated systems often meant fewer resources, delayed treatment, and poorer outcomes for Black mothers and babies. Given that history, it makes sense that trust can feel complicated. For many families, trust has had to be earned through consistent respect, listening, and accountability.

Today, racial disparities in the medical field still continue. Black mothers’ pain and concern being overlooked by medical providers is an ongoing issue. Mortality rates of pregnant/postpartum Black women are three times higher than that of White women.

Despite the serious problems that still need to be addressed, good work has been done.

• The Black Maternal Caucus was founded in 2019 with a goal of elevating care for Black mothers and advocating policy solutions to end racial disparities in maternal care.

• The Women’s Institute for Policy Research has been dedicated to develop quality, women-focused research since 1987.

• Hospitals are becoming more diverse workplaces, leading to deeper connections between patients and practitioners.

• The Center for Disease Control has supported initiatives and programs designed to lower maternal mortality rates and raise the standards of medical care for mothers, such as the Hear Her campaign.

• There is more of a push than ever for medical providers to be trained to listen to their patients and to provide all patients with quality care.

While it’s important to acknowledge the painful truths of the history of Black maternal health, we can also celebrate the progress that’s been made. This February, let’s center the joy and strength of Black mothers —not only their struggles.

Hope lives in action, and action starts with listening. Your voice deserves to be heard.

Inspired Counseling Center is proud to be a Black-owned maternal mental health practice founded by a mom who understands. If you need support, it’s okay to reach for it.

Click the links below to schedule a consultation with one of our therapists or to visit our website. You deserve more than survival; you deserve to flourish.

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