Governor Proclaims Postpartum Awareness Week for Black, Brown, and Indigenous Women

Postpartum Awareness Week For Black, Brown And Indigenous Women

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, data from the international Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that women in the United States have the highest rate of maternal mortality related to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, with the U.S. maternal death rate more than three times the rate in most other high-income countries studied; and

Whereas, according to National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) records, American Indian, Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, with more than 2/3 of these deaths taking place during the postpartum period; Black, Indigenous, and other people of color experience disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity; and

WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths—defined as a death during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy from a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy—are preventable through timely recognition and diagnosis of urgent maternal warning signs and equitable access to quality care; and

Whereas, cultural, social, and economic barriers often prevent Black, Indigenous, and other people of color from accessing adequate postpartum care and support services, with almost half of all mothers reporting to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that a lack of respectful care led them to hold back from asking questions or discussing concerns with their provider; and

Whereas, the postpartum period represents a critical time in the health and well-being of new mothers and their families; increasing awareness of postpartum health disparities and supporting respectful, culturally competent care are essential steps toward achieving maternal health equity; and

Whereas, the CDC has established the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (PMSS) in recognition that better information about causes of pregnancy-related deaths and risk factors associated with these deaths can help clinicians and public health professionals better understand the national trends and clinical causes of pregnancy-related deaths to inform actions to prevent them; and

Whereas, education about postpartum warning signs, mental health support, and available resources can save lives and improve outcomes for mothers and families;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 4-10, 2025, as “Postpartum Awareness Week For Black, Brown And Indigenous Women” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this second day of May in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.