If you’re a Black mother and you live in Ohio, you are 2.5 times more likely to die from a cause related to pregnancy or childbirth than a white mom.

That’s according to the most recent data report from Ohio Department of Health’s Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) committee, which reviews every death that occurs during or within a year of pregnancy. 

Sixty-five mothers died in Cuyahoga County from pregnancy complications or causes between 2008 and 2016, according to the report. Most of the women who died in Cuyahoga County were Black, had Medicaid insurance and had a high school diploma or less education. More than 57% of maternal death cases in Ohio were preventable, according to experts in the report.  

With that in mind, Case Western Reserve University’s Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) of Northern Ohio will host its first summit dedicated to Black Maternal Health Equity in April. 

The half-day summit will gather state and local government officials, doctors, researchers, nonprofit health leaders, community groups, healthcare executives and local residents with the goal of helping  shape research questions and develop evidence-based solutions. 

Millions poured into research

CTSC was established in 2007 and is a collaboration between Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth System, University Hospitals, Louis Stokes Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northeast Ohio Medical University, and the University of Toledo.

The collaborative was created to advance health equity through translational science, which aims to get more minority communities into research so that it leads to better treatments for all Northeast Ohioans, said Gelise Thomas, director of Research Health Equity. The collaborative also provides funding for community-based health studies and support for groups who apply for them, including grant proposal development.

Thomas said the summit was intentionally scheduled during Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17), created by Black Mamas Matter Alliance in 2018, which brings awareness to the ongoing maternal mortality and morbidity crisis in the United States. 

“There’s been a lot of conversation about women’s health and health equity over the past few years,” Thomas said. “Now, millions of dollars at the national level are being poured into research around these topics and issues and people are moving beyond conversations and moving into action.” 

Health Equity Challenge series

In the last year, the collaborative launched a Health Equity Challenge Series, which invited medical professionals, health advocates, community members and researchers to discuss barriers and challenges that impact women’s health and to find ways to make it more inclusive. Now, the summit is an opportunity to dive into understanding and centering women’s experiences to inform research questions and studies, Thomas said. 

“Research is often thought to be an ivory tower with rigorous questions and solutions,” Thomas said. “Our research is moving more toward understanding who is impacted and who is experiencing the problems and understanding and developing solutions that can impact and improve our healthcare system.” 

The summit will be held at Cleveland State University’s Student Center Glasscock Ballroom from noon to 4 p.m. on April 14. Attendees will hear from Deirdre Cooper Owens, an award-winning historian and author who will discuss her research on Black maternal health; and from local mothers about their pregnancy and birth experiences. 

Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about policy updates and efforts to improve women’s health in Ohio. Participants will have the opportunity to share their insights to help inform questions and solutions that will be examined by the collaborative.