Another entry in the ledger regarding medical treatment of pregnant Black women, courtesy of the New York Times: How Unconscious Bias in Health Care Puts Pregnant Black Women at Higher Risk.

Black women say that too frequently medical providers do not listen when they describe symptoms, or dismiss their concerns. Reports the Times: “Studies validate their experiences: Analyses of taped conversations between physicians and patients have found that doctors dominate the conversation more with Black patients and don’t ask as many questions as they do of white patients. In medical notes, doctors are more likely to express skepticism about the symptoms Black patients report.”

Among the results for Black vs. white mothers are loss of more infants in the first year of life, higher rates of stillbirth and more pre-term births. Differences prevail even when the wealthiest Black women are compared to white women.

Read the complete piece for heart-breaking examples of what transpires when pregnant Black women are ignored, or their concerns get diminished, by white providers.