Watch: Dr. Carol Major talks about the U.S. maternal death crisis with Bloomberg Quicktake
April 19, 2023
Dr. Carol Major is an obstetrician and
maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
(Credit: Steve Zylius/UCI)
IN THE NEWS: The latest federal data show that for every 100,000 U.S. live births, 33 mothers died in 2021, up nearly 65% over 2019. But the maternal mortality rate for Black women in 2021 was 70 — more than double that of their white peers.
Dr. Carol A. Major, an obstetrician who leads High-Risk Pregnancy Services at UCI Health recently discussed these alarming statistics with Bloomberg Quicktake, the financial news organization's live channel.
“The state of maternal mortality and maternal health in the U.S. is actually abysmal," said Major, professor and chief of the UCI School of Medicine's Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. "It’s an embarrassment to be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, or among all developed countries, and have the highest maternal mortality rate.”
It is so much worse for Black women, she added. “You can look at education, you can look at the type of healthcare and it doesn’t make any difference. What makes the difference with the risk is the color of someone’s skin — that actually determines how they do with their childbirth and pregnancy."
Major is a board-certified obstetrician specializing in maternal-fetal medicine and high-risk pregnancies. Her research interests include diabetes management in pregnancy, preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes. She is the author or co-author of numerous publications in prominent journals.
Watch the interview
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