Tori Bowie’s death shows how pervasive racial disparities are in maternal health

By Char Adams, NBC News

The death of Olympic track and field star Tori Bowie, who died of pregnancy complications last month, has prompted questions about how a seemingly healthy, financially stable person could face such a tragic outcome. 

Experts say that the racial health disparities that lead to maternal health complications for Black people persist despite a person’s economic status or clean bill of health. In short, it could happen to any Black person. 

“Maternal mortality for Black women has nothing to do with health or economic status,” said D’Andra Willis, of The Afiya Center, a Black-centered reproductive justice group. “You could be the richest or the poorest, Black women are still three to five times more likely to die in childbirth than any poor white woman.”

Regina Moss, president of the Black women-centered reproductive justice group In Our Own Voice, agreed. “If this is happening to the Olympic athlete who’s likely doing everything she can do to have a healthy pregnancy, it’s happening to the everyday woman,” Moss said. 

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