Cedars- Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles is currently facing federal investigation over the treatment of black expecting mothers at its facility.
The investigation was sparked following a civil rights lawsuit filed by the husband of Kira Dixon Johnson. In 2016, Johnson perished after going to the hospital for the birth of the couple’s second child.
After giving birth via Cesarean section, Johnson’s husband noticed that blood began to fill her catheter. His pleads for help to the staff were ignored for hours. Johnson was eventually taken into a procedure room ten hours later and died from internal bleeding.
In reference to the investigation, the hospital released the following statement:
“Cedars-Sinai clinicians, leaders and researchers have long been concerned with national disparities in Black maternal health, and we are proud of the work we’ve done (and continue to do) to address these issues in Los Angeles as well as at the state and national levels.” Hospital staff would go on to cite the work they have done with various organizations to improve maternal health outcomes.
The United States has the worst mortality rates of any high-income country in the world. In addition, Black women have the highest maternal death rate of all races. Statistics show that black women are three times more likely to die during child birth.
Black Maternal Health Week is recognized each year from April 11- 17th to bring awareness to this health crisis.
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