The Association of Black Cardiologists is sounding the alarm about maternal health during this Black History Month.
Black mothers are much more likely to die from pregnancy than white women.
The mortality rate is three times higher for Black women and Native American women than it is for white mothers.
"We know that a lot of this is driven by both traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure and obesity, as well as social factors," said Dr. Michelle Albert, Professor of Medicine at UCSF and President of the Association of Black Cardiologists.
She told KCBS Radio's "As Prescribed" on Thursday that those social factors include long-standing structural racism.
"Many women – especially Black women – will report that when they interact with health care systems that their physicians and nurses and other health care providers may not listen to their concerns. So, the first order of business for us healthcare providers is to actually listen to our patients," Albert said.
She tells patients to speak up if they come across racism and bias.
Albert added they should also know their own numbers – from blood pressure to cholesterol.
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