>>>
>>> MOTHERS MATTER HIGHLIGHTING AN ALARMING TREND EVERY YEAR 50,000 WOMEN IN THE U.S. ALMOST
DIED DUE TO PREGNANCY -RELATED
COMPLICATIONS.
>> EVERY YEAR 800 MOTHERS DO
NOT SURVIVE. ACCORDING TO THE
CDC FOUNDATION MATERNAL
MORTALITY DROPPING DRAMATICALLY
AROUND THE GLOBE. ONE EXCEPTION
THE UNITED STATES WHERE THE
RATE IS RISING AND GETTING
WORSE ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK
WOMEN.
>> BLACK WOMEN 3-4 TIMES MORE
LIKELY TO DIE DURING OR AFTER
CHILDBIRTH THEN WHITE WOMEN BUT
MANY OF THE DEATHS ARE
+@PREVENTABLE.
>> THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
CREATED A PROGRAM HELPING WOMEN
WITH THE HIGHEST RISK FACTORS.
NOW, OTHER STATES ARE TAKING
NOTICE, CREATING SIMILAR
PROGRAMS.
>> TANYA MENDIS LIVE, THIS IS A
LOT OF INFORMATION VERY HARD
FOR SOME MOMS TO WRAP THEIR
HEAD AROUND.
>> Reporter: AS ONE DOCTOR PUT
IT TO ME YOU WOULD THINK IT
+@WOULDN'T HAPPEN HERE.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES, THE
GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
BUT IT IS.
WOMEN DIE FROM PREVENTABLE
PREGNANCY RELATED CAUSES WHICH
IS WHY THE STORY IS A POWERFUL
LESSON FOR EVERY WOMAN,
ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN, TO
SPEAK UP AND ADVOCATE FOR YOUR
HEALTH. THE JOY OF RAISING
JULIA, A GIFT JESSICA CARTER
QUESTIONED IF SHE WOULD EVER
HAVE ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE THINKS
ABOUT THE DAUGHTER SHE LOST.
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF SHAME,
AND REGRET BEHIND HER.
QUESTIONING IF IT WAS YOUR
BODY, DID YOU SPEAK UP ENOUGH.
>> Reporter: JESSICA 28 WEEKS
PREGNANT, HER BLOOD PRESSURE
SKYHIGH, SOMETHING SHE SAYS HER
DOCTOR CAUGHT WEEKS EARLIER AND
DID NOTHING ABOUT. BY THE TIME
SHE WENT TO THE E.R.
SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS HER LIFE OR
THE LIFE OF HER UNBORN BABY.
>> IF I WOULD HAVE TAKEN MY
ORIGINAL DR. 'S ADVICE I WOULD
HAVE SAT AND WAITED AND WAITED
AND WAITED AND I WOULD HAVE
DIED.
>> Reporter: PREGNANCY RELATED
COMPLICATIONS ARE SKYROCKETING.
>> THIS WAS A HEART ATTACK, I
WAS WAS SCARED FOR MY KIDS.
>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE
CDC THE UNITED STATES IS THE
MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN THE
DEVELOPED WORLD TO GIVE BIRTH.
AND DR. ANGELA MORRISON'S
OFFICE SHE SAYS TOO MANY TIMES
WOMEN PUT THEIR OWN HEALTH LAST
.
>> WE COULD, CLEAN, TAKE YOUR
BABIES, MANAGE THINGS AND THAT
IS WHAT MOTHERS DO, THAT IS
WHAT WOMEN DO.
A LOT OF TIMES WE GET SO BUSY
DOING THOSE THINGS WE DON'T
TAKE TIME FOR OURSELVES. FOR
BLACK WOMEN THE MORTALITY RATE
IS EVEN MORE PERILOUS THAN
THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS AND
THE GAP IS A CHASM IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.
FOR EVERY 14 WHITE WOMEN WHO
DIED THERE ARE 57 BLACK WOMEN
WHO DO.
FOUR TIMES MORE AND EVEN WHEN
THE SOCIOECONOMIC SOCIOECONOMIC
STATUS, ACCESS TO CARE, AGE,
HEALTH AND OTHER FACTORS ARE
CONTROLLED, BLACK WOMEN STILL
DIE MORE OFTEN PROMPTING EVEN
THE CDC TO CLAIM THERE COULD
+@ONLY BE ONE CAUSE RACISM.
>> WE DEALT WITH PEOPLE
TREATING US A CERTAIN WAY, NOT
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR CONCERNS WE
HAVE DEALT WITH IT AND WE
ACCEPTED. WE ARE NOT AS
DEMANDING AND MAYBE WE SHOULD
BE.
>> Reporter: IN NORTH CAROLINA
SOMETHING POSITIVE IS
HAPPENING, STILL A GAP THAT IS
CLOSING.
NORTH CAROLINA CREDITING A
PROGRAM CALLED PREGNANCY
MEDICAL HOMES THAT IDENTIFIES
PREGNANT WOMEN WITH THE HIGHEST
RISK FACTORS AND GIVES THEM
ACCESS TO CARE EARLY AND OFTEN.
THE PROGRAM USED IN HUNDREDS OF
DOCTORS OFFICES IN NORTH
CAROLINA NOW HAVING SO MUCH
SUCCESS OTHER STATES ARE
LOOKING TO MODEL IT.
BACK IN DR. MORSE'S OFFICE --
DR. MORRIS' OFFICE SHE'S ASKING
QUESTIONS AND SPENDING MORE TIME
TIME.
>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN OPEN
AIR.
>> Reporter: LISTENING FOR
CLUES, WATCHING FOR MORNING
SIGNS HELPING TO PREVENT A
COMPLICATION BEFORE IT TAKES A
LIFE.
>> ON OUR WEBSITE WE HAVE AN
ENTIRE SECTION DEDICATED TO
THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC CALLED
MOTHERS MATTER.
THERE YOU WILL FIND THE STORIES
OF WOMEN WHO DIED BUT POSSIBLY
MORE IMPORTANTLY VALUABLE
INFORMATION THAT MAY SAVE THE
LIFE OF A