MONTICELLO, NY — Maternal mortality is higher in the United States than in any wealthy country. Every year a disproportionate amount of Black women are failed by the U.S. health system.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2021, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic white women.

To raise awareness about this problem, the Black Library in Monticello, in partnership with Maternal Infant Services Network (MISN), which serves Sullivan County, showed “AfterShock,” a documentary about deaths of two Black women from childbirth complications: Shamony Gibson, 30, who died in 2019, less than two weeks after the birth of her son; and Amber Rose Isaac, 26, who died in 2020 because of an emergency Cesarean section. Their partners, while raising their newborns alone, embarked on a quest to find out what went wrong and to secure justice.

Artist Douglas Shindler, a co-operator of the library, said the library has a few books on the topic in its collection.  

Attendees included community stakeholders like the head of MISN, three maternal medical providers from Sun River Health in Monticello; Sullivan180; the health nonprofit NAMI; and Fearless!, a domestic abuse services provider that serves the county. 

After the film, community members reflected together on the state of Black maternal health in Sullivan County and what can be done.

The film connects the increased incidence of maternal mortality to the increased use of Cesarean sections, which is the surgical delivery of a baby through an incision made in the mother’s abdomen and uterus. These procedures are often associated with a higher risk of infection and complications. In certain situations, Cesarean sections can be life-saving, but they are increasingly being used in low-risk situations.

“AfterShock” discusses the incentives for Cesareans, even when the mother is at low-risk: They can be scheduled, which makes them much faster and cheaper than natural births. And they are often associated with higher insurance payouts. 

Among total births from 2018 to 2020 in Sullivan County, the percentage of low-risk births delivered by Cesarean section was 10 percent higher among Black mothers than white mothers, according to the Department of Health. 

Amanda Langseder, senior director of prevention and programming for Sullivan180, had tears in her eyes after the screening ended. 

“It was for good reason that MISN shared the documentary,” she told the River Reporter. “I feel fortunate to have been in attendance with many local colleagues and friends working in maternal and child health. The film clearly tells the story of the glaring health disparities that exist in our country and shares the tragic truth about just how many lives are lost each year due to implicit bias and racism. The film was an unsettling eye-opener for sure, and it opens a long overdue conversation in our communities about the right for all women, regardless of their skin color, to have equitable care and support throughout their pregnancy and delivery.”

Patrina Natasha Phillip-King, M.D., doctor of obstetrics and gynecology at Sun River Health in Sullivan County, talked about the need to strengthen patient/doctor trust in light of the glaring reality. She said Sun River Health, which accepts Medicare and Medicaid, has just expanded its maternal care offerings, including for postpartum depression, which is a risk for women experiencing complications leading to adverse health effects. 

Find more information online:

• aftershockdocumentary.com
• sunriver.org/why-sun-river
• misn-ny.org