Ga. leaders look to turn back rising maternal death numbers

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The number of women who die giving birth in the U.S. has doubled in the past two decades.

New legislation is being introduced in hopes of cutting down on the alarming number of woman who die during childbirth in this country.

Sens. Raphael Warnock., R-Ga., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., reintroduced the Kira Johnson Act, legislation to provide funding to community-based organizations leading the charge to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women

“The rate of maternal mortality is an ongoing and worsening crisis,” Warnock said. “Black women are particularly at risk in the state of Georgia, where they are three to four more likely to die related to childbirth or pregnancy than their white sisters. I’m proud to partner with Senator Padilla on this life-saving legislation. We can’t get this done soon enough.”

A recent study found that number doubled between 1999 and 2019, with most deaths being among Black women. And the rate of death from pregnancy has risen more steeply in Georgia than almost any other state.

“This needle moves slowly, but we need to start working on things,” Dr. Mitch Rodriguez, a member of the Board of Public Health and a neonatal specialist in Macon, said during a board meeting earlier this week. “It’s going to take us a while to make those changes, but you have to start at some point.”

Kira Johnson is one of those mothers who died.

After 10 hours of bleeding internally after a 2016 scheduled C-section, Kira passed away at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Her husband, Charles, says she was failed in every possible way.

“The greatest failure of them all was the failure of inhumanity and the inability with the staff at Cedar Sinai to see her, validate her pain, and address our concerns and give her the same respect dignity that they would to their mother, their sisters, and their children,” says Charles.

“Sunshine personified. I’m talking about a woman who raced cars, ran marathons, and she really challenged me in every aspect of my life,” says Charles.

“What is the most precious moment, shouldn’t become the most painful,” Warnock said.

READ THE LEGISLATION:

Warnock is especially concerned about maternal mortality rates because his home state of Georgia is among the worst in the nation when it comes to the health of pregnant women, specifically Black women.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Black women in Georgia accounted for 56 percent of the state’s maternal deaths.

“Although we can’t bring her back, it’s important we do everything we can to make sure other moms go home to their babies,” says Charles.

Charles says if he could talk to Kira right now, he would say:

“You’re changing the world, you’re absolutely changing the world,” says Charles.

Georgia ranks as one of the worst states for maternal mortality and maternal care access. 35 percent of counties in Georgia have very limited or no maternity health care services.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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