By Nan Strauss, Director of Policy and Research, Choices in Childbirth As is true worldwide, strategies to improve U.S. maternal health are widely known but remain unavailable to many women. New York City (NYC), known for its prestigious medical schools and high quality specialty care, is no exception to these disparities. Statistics signal the need for change. The maternal mortality ratio in NYC has exceeded the national average for 40 years and racial disparities in pregnancy-related deaths also surpass national rates. Newly released department of health data show that from 2006 through 2010, black women in NYC were 12 times as likely to suffer a pregnancy-related death as white women… read more