Black Women’s Maternal Mortality

Eden Rhodes

My research is about identifying factors that heavily contribute to the high rates of maternal mortality experienced by black women compared to white women. Maternal mortality is the death of a mother while she is pregnant, shortly after birth, or during birth. I researched the effects of four factors on the rates of maternal mortality in black women. The first study discussed systemic racism and the lack of trust between the black community and the medical field. The second study was about the health status of black women as it relates to preeclampsia and eclampsia. Preeclampsia is high blood pressure whereas eclampsia is a more detrimental stage of preeclampsia. While they cannot stand alone as determinants, access to quality prenatal care and socioeconomic status affects how black women experience pregnancy. The research presented in my poster will allow lots of people to become more aware of one of the modern-day challenges that black women face. As a part of Innovation Practicum, I would like to find a mentor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. I am hoping to learn more about photoacoustic imaging.