Uploaded July 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Every year in the United States, over 60,000 women suffer a severe, life-altering complication during childbirth, and 700 to 900 women die from a pregnancy related cause. Elizabeth Howell, OBGYN and expert on maternal health, explains that these complications, often resulting from treatable ailments like blood clots and hemorrhages, are far too preventable to produce such staggering outcomes. Even more shocking is the clear racial disparity to these outcomes, as black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to suffer a pregnancy related death than white women, even when controlling for social factors. Elizabeth believes that, to permanently mend this gap, every hospital must adopt standardized procedures to assure high quality maternal health care from contraception to post-pregnancy.
Elizabeth is leading the way to make high quality care at childbirth a standard practice for every mother. Watch Elizabeth’s TEDMED 2018 Talk to discover how preparing for preventable complications, addressing racial bias in care, and educating and supporting mothers throughout pregnancy can save countless lives each day.
Every year in the United States, over 60,000 women suffer a severe, life-altering complication during childbirth, and 700 to 900 women die from a pregnancy related cause. Elizabeth Howell, OBGYN and expert on maternal health, explains that these complications, often resulting from treatable ailments like blood clots and hemorrhages, are far too preventable to produce such staggering outcomes. Even more shocking is the clear racial disparity to these outcomes, as black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to suffer a pregnancy related death than white women, even when controlling for social factors. Elizabeth believes that, to permanently mend this gap, every hospital must adopt standardized procedures to assure high quality maternal health care from contraception to post-pregnancy.
Elizabeth is leading the way to make high quality care at childbirth a standard practice for every mother. Watch Elizabeth’s TEDMED 2018 Talk to discover how preparing for preventable complications, addressing racial bias in care, and educating and supporting mothers throughout pregnancy can save countless lives each day.
