Black Maternal Mortality in Georgia: Understanding the Crisis and How to Fix it

Why are black mothers in Georgia up to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White mothers? The answer isn’t biology… it’s inequity. Georgia’s maternal mortality crisis is a matter of systemic gaps in care, racial bias, and preventable conditions that continue to put black women at risk.

While global maternal mortality has dropped by 45% since 1990, the U.S. has gone in the opposite direction, rising 58%. In Georgia, the rate is 66.3 deaths per 100,000 births, nearly 45% above the national average. For Black mothers, the burden is even heavier: they are 2-3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to White women, even when income and education are the same.

Root Causes of Maternal Mortality in Georgia

 Racial Inequities in Healthcare

Systemic bias in healthcare places Black mothers at risk, regardless of their income, education, or insurance status. Research show that Black women are more likely to have their symptoms dismissed or undertreated, leading to delayed diagnoses and inadequate care during pregnancy and childbirth.

Geographic Disparities

More than 30% of Georgia’s counties are considered maternity care deserts, areas without a hospital offering obstetric care, a birth center, or practicing OB/GYNs. For women living in rural communities, this often means traveling hours to receive care, if they can access it at all.

Financial Insecurity

The high cost of childcare, lack of paid family leave, and limited Medicaid coverage create financial barriers that force many mothers to delay or forgo essential prenatal and postpartum visits. These gaps in care increase the risk of complications that could otherwise be prevented.

Workforce Gaps

Black women often face a shortage of providers who look like them or share their cultural experiences. With few Black obstetricians, midwives, or nurses in perinatal care, mistrust and communication gaps persist, limiting the quality of maternal care for many families.

Safety Risks

Intimate partner violence is a serious but often overlooked factor in maternal mortality. Black women experience disproportionately high rates of violence during pregnancy, which contributes to preventable injuries, complications, and even death.

Leading Medical Causes of Death

The most common causes of maternal death in Georgia – including hemorrhage, cardiovascular disease, and hypertensive disorders – are often preventable. Early detection and consistent monitoring can make the difference between a healthy delivery and a tragic loss.

Community Driven Solutions to Save Mothers’ Lives

Expand the Perinatal Workforce

Georgia faces a shortage of maternal health providers, especially in rural and underserved areas. One solution is to invest in midwives and doulas, who provide both clinical and emotional support that improves outcomes for mothers and babies. At the same time, Georgia must increase racial representation in healthcare by funding scholarships and mentorships for Black medical students, building a workforce that reflects the communities it serves and strengthens trust in care.

Strengthen Access to Care

Rural Georgia faces severe gaps in maternal healthcare, with most counties lacking obstetric services and many women traveling long distances for care. To close these gaps, the state must scale up telemedicine for rural communities, which can improve early detection of complications and reduce travel burdens. In addition, clinic-to-clinic models and mobile health clinics offer reliable ways to bridge care where hospitals and OB/GYNs are absent, ensuring mothers receive timely, life-saving support.

Prevent the Most Common Cause of Death

Hemorrhage, cardiovascular disease, and hypertensive disorders are the leading drivers of maternal deaths in Georgia, yet most are preventable. Providing free blood pressure and heart health screenings in community settings can catch complications early, while educating mothers about warning signs empowers them to seek timely care. Together, these strategies directly target the conditions most responsible for maternal mortality and help save lives.

WHY IT MATTERS

 Every statistic represents a mother, a child, and a family forever changed. Georgia can reverse this trend only through intentional investment in equity-driven maternal healthcare. By expanding the workforce, embracing technology, and prioritizing prevention, the state can ensure safer pregnancies and healthier families for generations to come.

Together we can change the story. Share this post, support maternal health initiatives in Georgia, and advocate for policies that close the gap in Black maternal health disparities and save mothers’ lives.