Northwestern Medicine Hosts Open House to Address Black Maternal Health Disparities
Northwestern Medicine is organizing its third annual open house as part of Black Maternal Health Week, focusing on raising awareness and educating individuals about pregnancy-related issues. The event, scheduled for Tuesday at Northwestern Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago, will include presentations, Q&A sessions, and tours of the labor and delivery floors. Dr. Jacqueline Hairston, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, emphasized the importance of addressing the stark disparities in outcomes for Black maternal health. According to the CDC, Black women and infants face higher rates of fatal pregnancy complications compared to other racial or ethnic groups in the U.S. Black women are over three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and Black infants have a mortality rate more than double that of white infants. The event aims to highlight these disparities and encourage proactive healthcare interventions. 
