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The national fight to end maternal mortality is a fight for life. In the Bronx, the fight for a birthing center is a fight against systemic racism and decades of disinvestment in the Black community. Birthing centers provide pre- and postnatal care through midwifery, as well as a collaborative wellness and care model where individuals anticipating a low-risk pregnancy and birth can also receive support.
At a time when more people are seeking alternatives to traditional hospital care and embracing more holistic measures, birthing centers are crucial. Why? They diversify birthing options for expectant mothers. Reproductive freedom and the right to choose is also contingent on having options. As such, access to diverse birthing options is not a luxury—it is a reproductive right.
FACT: The latest city health department data indicates that the Bronx had the highest number of pregnancy-related deaths in New York City in 2020.
The Bronx: A Microcosm of Maternal Mortality Crisis
The Bronx’s only birthing center, the Childbearing Center of Morris Heights, opened its doors in 1988 and shut down in 2012. Today, there are only two birthing centers in New York City: the Brooklyn Birthing Center, which opened in 1999, and the Birthing Center of New York, also located in Brooklyn, that was founded in 2017. The location of these birthing centers is appropriate, given that Brooklyn also has a high maternal mortality rate. However, Bronx women are being left behind.
FACT: Maternal mortality among Hispanic women went up 44 percent in 2020 compared with an increase of 26 percent among Black women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although, Black women still have the highest mortality rate of all racial or ethnic groups.
The data around maternal healthcare paints a consistent and worrying picture for Hispanic and Black women living in the Bronx. Investigation after investigation repeatedly confirms that marginalized groups, which in NYC are often Black and Hispanic communities located in the Bronx, suffer higher rates of pregnancy-related negative health outcomes. According to the New York State Maternal Mortality Review Report, Black women in New York State die at over four times the rate of white women (55.8 vs. 13.2 deaths per 100,000 live births).
A Birthing Center: A Hub for Comprehensive Maternal Health Services
TIP: A birthing center can offer a host of prenatal, postpartum, and educational services that women with any level of pregnancy risk can use.
In the delicate act of giving life, preparation is indispensable. Birthing centers not only aid in labor and delivery but also educate clients on proper prenatal and postnatal care to decrease birthing risks and mitigate complications during labor. Studies show that prenatal care reduces preterm birth and low birth weight—both of which are significant contributors to infant mortality.
Prenatal education for expectant mothers also informs them of important steps they can take to protect infants and themselves through pregnancy and delivery. Hence why the need for a birthing center in the Bronx cannot be understated.
Bridging the Gap: Honoring Tradition While Embracing Modern Healthcare
TIP: A birthing center would address the gap in interconnected services, providing patients with a hub of comprehensive, coordinated, and culturally competent maternal health services and social support.
I recently entered my third trimester. As I prepare to bring my baby girl into this world, I can’t help but think of the women who came before me. I come from a family of women who birthed naturally in el campo with a partera at their side. They understood that it takes a village to raise a child and birthing is a community effort.
A birthing center is the blending of medical advancements. Many of the women before me didn’t have hospital access, but they had each other. Now that many of us have access to hospital care, we can’t lose sight of the need for doulas, midwives, or parteras. We need it all.
Access to diverse birthing options is not a luxury—it is a reproductive right.
Janet A. Perguero, Deputy Bronx Borough President
The lack of diverse and affordable birthing care options for Bronx mothers and babies is reflective of the inequality and systemic racism that continue to derail health outcomes across the nation. The data shows us that maternal health care is a race issue, regardless of economic status.
The Imperative of Equitable Maternal Health Policies
I consider myself in this transformative period of my life: I’m called to protect my child, but I’m also called to work with my team and introduce policy that protects the women around me—the women who look like me. The measure of a society is how well it equips and protects women and children during this important life process. We have serious work to do.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Hispanic Executive or Guerrero Media.
Photo by Finalis Valdez
After years of public service working at different city agencies for the betterment of Bronxites and Latinos, Janet A. Peguero made history as the first Deputy Bronx Borough President of Dominican descent. Since her appointment, she was worked tirelessly in different areas to bridge the gap between City resources and residents.
Peguero has collaborated with the Bronx Economic Development Corporation to provide small business owners access to resources and funds to help them thrive in today’s economy. She is a strong advocate for maternal health, working with community leaders and health advocates to bring a birthing center to the Bronx to address Black maternal mortality and provide quality healthcare. Peguero has also been a strong advocate for Together for Kingsbridge alongside New York City Economic Development Corporation.
