麦肯锡-缩小黑人孕产妇健康差距_更健康的生活_更强大的经济（英）-2025.8_29页_1mb

Black Maternal Health Gap Summary

The McKinsey report on closing the Black maternal health gap highlights that Black women in the US face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity (50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births), two to four times higher than White, Hispanic, or Asian women. This gap extends to infant mortality, where Black infants are twice as likely to die. Contributing factors include inadequate access to care, systemic inequities, and socioeconomic barriers. The report estimates that closing this gap could save 3,100 Black mothers and 35,000 Black infants by 2040 in the US.

Key Findings

1. Health Disparities:

   • Black women experience higher rates of severe maternal morbidity from 17 conditions, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and postpartum depression.
   • These conditions result in approximately 350,000 healthy life years lost among Black women giving birth in 2025 alone.
   • Black infants face higher risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant mortality.

2. Economic Impact:

   • Closing the Black maternal health gap could add $24.4 billion to US GDP over the lifetimes of women giving birth in 2025.
   • Annual healthcare cost savings could reach $385 million by reducing unnecessary interventions like C-sections and improving maternal morbidity.

Actionable Strategies

McKinsey proposes a five-pillar framework to address the gap:

• Count: Standardize data collection and integrate maternal health metrics to better track and address disparities.

• Study: Fund research on Black women's health, including clinical trials that include underrepresented populations.

• Care: Expand access to prenatal, postpartum, and mental health services, including supportive technologies and better insurance coverage.

• Include: Enhance cultural competency among healthcare providers and address social determinants of health through community partnerships.

• Invest: Increase funding for maternal health research, innovations, and care delivery models, prioritizing women’s specific health needs.

Call to Action

Closing the Black maternal health gap requires coordinated efforts across healthcare, payers, policymakers, communities, and society. The framework’s pillars provide a clear roadmap to improve outcomes, reduce inequities, and enhance the health and economic vitality of Black women and their families.