JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Preeclampsia is one of the most common and severe disorders during pregnancy.
It has a 60% higher rate in Black women than white women and Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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American Olympian Tori Bowie, who won three medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was found dead in her Florida home in early May.
Bowie’s medical report said the Olympian suffered respiratory distress and eclampsia, a severe condition in the second half of pregnancy. It can cause someone to develop seizures, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The CDC reports that black women have the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States.
“I think it’s all related to socio-economical factors and very, very often there’s an unconscious bias,” Dr. Sonnie Kim-Aschi, OBGYN at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital said.
Kim-Ashchi said there are studies that show that Black women’s complaints are less heard and not taken as seriously compared to white women.
“We always give the patients warning signs like whenever you’re having a headache or chest pain or palpations, and they’re kind of brushed off. That’s what the studies show,” she explained.
Kim-Ashchi is working to change unconscious bias through her practice.
She recently delivered a baby girl to a healthy mother.
She said a key factor to decrease the death toll among Black pregnant women is for medical personnel to focus on maternal care for Black mothers.
“I think education is very important. I educate my medical students about this social bias and my staff, too,” Kim-Ashchi said. “When [the staff] answer the phone calls from patients, and they say, ‘headache,’ They just bring it to me immediately. Instead of waiting one or two days later.”