Black-White Disparities in Maternal Vulnerability and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Black birthing individuals in areas that have more access to maternal healthcare are at “disproportionately” higher risk of dying during or after childbirth than White women who live in underserved areas, according to a new study in The Lancet. The study, conducted by Surgo Health, uses a system called the U.S. Maternal Vulnerability Index, which assigns a score of 0–100 to each state and county in the country.