You may not have heard of PRMR, but you are likely familiar with the concept behind the name.
PRMR stands for Pregnancy-Related Mortality Ratios and aims to address racial disparities regarding childbirth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Data confirms significantly higher pregnancy-related mortality ratios among Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native women. These gaps did not change over time.”
Here are the PRMR details you should be aware of:
Certain Groups Experience Significantly Higher Rates of Pregnancy-Related Health Complications
Roughly 700 women lose their lives every year in the U.S. due to pregnancy or its complications. Regrettably, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black women are two to three times more likely to experience a fatal injury as a result of pregnancy than White women.
Racial Disparities Are Consistent Across the Country
The CDC places PRMR into three groups:
- Low
- Medium
- High
As you can see in the graph above, even the states with the lowest PRMR still have a disparity ratio of 3.0. This means that even in these states, Black women are about three times more likely to die due to pregnancy than White women.
Social Components of PRMR
According to Jeff Chapa, MD, (a maternal-fetal medicine specialist), “It’s very important to recognize that these disparities are related to social determinants of health along with purely biological factors.”
Dr. Chapa says that there are a number of ways that doctors and hospitals can address these issues, such as:
- Improving healthcare access at various locations throughout communities,
- Offering high-risk maternal-fetal medicine services,
- Implementing earlier postpartum checks, and
- Educating patients on the symptoms to watch for and to see a physician sooner if there are any concerns.
Sustaining a birth injury can be a very frightening and traumatic experience to endure. If it has happened to you, you may be entitled to compensation, and we may be able to help you recover it.
Contact our experienced attorneys at Cherundolo Law Firm, PLLC today by calling (315) 544-3332 or by filling out our online contact form.
