Car accidents, the most common cause of non-natural deaths in the U.S., would require a person to be in 52 accidents to equal the risk of childbirth for Black women. (Getty Images)
Giving birth is more dangerous than nearly every job in the United States, and it’s three times more dangerous for Black women. If becoming pregnant is so risky, shouldn’t it at the very least be voluntary?
In Indiana, more than 1.5 million women, and more people with uteruses, are currently of reproductive age — and therefore could potentially need an abortion. If you happen to be one of these people and become pregnant, statistics reveal a stark reality —that bringing a child into the world poses greater risks than some of the most dangerous occupations.
The maternal mortality rate for Black women stands at 69.9 per 100,000, more than twice the average rate for women in general and three times the risk faced by white women. To put this into perspective, an educator on TikTok recently compared the maternal mortality rate to occupations known for their risk, and it’s getting a lot of attention — for good reason.