Dr. Dawn Owens Robinson has worked as an OB-GYN for over 23 years.
“My grandmothers were nurses, so I did the candy stripe volunteer thing all through middle and high school and I wanted to deliver babies. This is the best job in the world. It’s a miracle every time,” she recalled.
In that time, she’s seen Black women plagued by an ongoing problem that she’s working to raise awareness about this Black History Month.
“Studies have shown that well-off, educated Black women die at a higher rate than uneducated obese, chronic-hypertension and diabetic white patients. It is a true healthcare crisis,” Robinson said.
CDC data shows Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women.
Black women aren’t the only ones dying: Infant mortality is two and a half times higher than white infants . Additionally, the preterm birth rate for Black babies is almost one and a half times higher than the rate of other babies Healthcare inequities and underlying health conditions play a large role, as does mistreatment.