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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING APRIL 11 - 171 2025 , <br /> AS BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK <br /> WHEREAS , Black Maternal Health Week ( BMHW) was founded by the Black Mamas <br /> Matter Alliance to increase awareness around the state of Black Maternal Health and <br /> promote activism and investment in solutions ; and <br /> WHEREAS , the National Black Maternal Health Week 2025 theme , " Healing Legacies : <br /> Strengthening Black Maternal Health Through Collective Action and Advocacy , " <br /> emphasizes the power of Blackded perinatal , maternal , and reproductive health <br /> organizations to drive systemic change and foster community healing ; and <br /> WHEREAS , in the U . S . , Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy- <br /> related cause than White women, and the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) notes that <br /> more than 80 % of pregnancy related deaths are preventable ' ; and <br /> WHEREAS , in North Carolina , the overall rate of maternal death is higher than the U . S . <br /> average , noting that in 2021 , the state ' s maternal mortality rate was 44 deaths per <br /> 100 , 000 births according to CDC data 2 ; and <br /> WHEREAS , in 85 percent of pregnancy- related deaths in North Carolina in 2018 and <br /> 2019 , there was " at least some chance of the death being averted by one or more <br /> reasonable changes 112 ; and <br /> WHERAS , 39 % of Black women in North Carolina receive late or no prenatal care , <br /> compared to only 24 % of white women , meaning they are less likely to be diagnosed and <br /> treated for pregnancy-related complications such as diabetes , high blood pressure , and <br /> fetal conditions3 ; and <br /> WHEREAS , as many as 50 % of Black women experiencing maternal mental health <br /> disorder symptoms fail to receive adequate help4 ; and <br /> WHEREAS , research demonstrates that the services of diverse birth workers , health <br /> advocates , community organizations , and healthcare providers are a crucial component <br /> of eliminating disparities , enhancing Black maternal safety and improving birth and health <br /> outcomes ; and <br /> WHEREAS , we recognize and uplift community- based responses to addressing this crisis <br /> and we promote initiatives that reduce Black maternal morbidity and mortality such as <br /> doula services , midwifery services , peer support , mutual aid and mental wellness support ; <br /> and <br />