The Black Maternal Mortality Rate Gap is Increasing.

For All Mothers+ Expands Criteria to Include Professional Coaches for Second Annual Black Maternal Health Changemaker Grants 

The maternal health of Black women is suffering at the hand of the Motherhood Penalty. While maternal mortality rates are dropping, the gap for Black women has widened as they continue to face alarming disparities in maternal health outcomes. [CDC data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS)]

In 2023, the maternal mortality rate for Black women increased to 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. This is more than triple that experienced by White (14.5), Hispanic (12.4), and Asian (10.7) women, which all experienced an overall decline in mortality rates in recent years. [CDC data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS)]

Multiple health, societal, and economic factors are contributing to the racial disparities in maternal mortality, including: 

• Inequitable and unequal access to affordable and quality health care for Black mothers and their infants

• Limited postpartum care that “times out” six weeks following delivery, causing a delayed recognition of risk and complications

• Systemic discrimination and implicit bias

• Medical deserts resulting from recent policy limitations on reproductive healthcare are exacerbating an already critical issue 

For All Mothers+ founder, President, and CEO Alysia Montaño understands these statistics from personal experience:

 “As a Black woman, I knew going into each of my three pregnancies that I was at a higher risk of complications and death. I knew it, even though it didn’t make sense,” Montaño said. “I’m a professional athlete, I am completely in tune with my body and all its inner workings, but that doesn’t matter. The structural racism built into our country’s healthcare system doesn’t care if you’ve set a world record or won multiple championships. If you are a Black woman, the odds are against you.”

Professional Black women athletes that compete at the highest level of sport are not impervious to the health issues that affect the rest of their racial population. Athletes are especially at risk because they often feel forced to hide their pregnancies or don’t seek medical care for fear of being “found out” and losing their sponsorship contracts for becoming pregnant.

The For All Mothers+ Black Maternal Health Grant was created to bridge the financial gap created by the Motherhood Penalty for female-bodied, Black, elite mothers in sports, including professional athletes and coaches. We understand that coaches are an important part of the sports industry ecosystem, and the expanded criteria to include coaches this year reflects the evolution of our brand's mission as For All Mothers+: We are for all mothers. 

The grant supports those who took extended time off for physical and mental recovery related to family planning and/or motherhood. Funding can be used for:

• Fertility treatments (IVF, IUI, OI, etc.)

• Prenatal costs (e.g., doulas, midwives)

• Childcare

• Family travel

• Mental health support

• Lactation support

• Any other support mechanism identified by the awardee as essential in their journey as a Black woman pursuing or managing motherhood while competing or coaching elite sports

The For All Mothers+ Changemaker Grants empower women athletes to live out their history as their whole selves and, thus, shift the narrative. Our grants should be viewed as a temporary stopgap until industry-wide policies that protect mothers mentally, physically, and financially are fully implemented across professional sports. Until then, we will continue our work to create Gold Standard Playbooks and Contractual Language to help NGBs and brand sponsors support motherhood as part of an athlete or coach’s professional track. 

Professional Black Athletes and Coaches are encouraged to apply for the Black Maternal Health Changemaker Grant here. (deadline to apply: April 10)

Are you an athlete who has been affected by the Motherhood Penalty? Fill out our survey here and help us educate the sports industry on how we can eliminate the Motherhood Penalty for good.

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