Black maternal health & birth advocacy
Maternal & infant health resources
Clear evidence. Community-led advocacy. Support closer to home — centering Black mothers and families.
U.S.-focused resources · Not independently medically reviewed
Official population data
Understanding infant mortality
Infant mortality is death before the first birthday, not stillbirth. These final 2024 U.S. rates are deaths per 1,000 live births, classified by the mother’s race and Hispanic origin on birth certificates.
Babies of non-Hispanic Black mothers
10.98
deaths per 1,000 live births
Babies of non-Hispanic White mothers
4.41
deaths per 1,000 live births
The Black rate was about 2.5 times the White rate. These are population differences, not a prediction for your baby. Black identity is not a biological explanation for unequal outcomes. Families are not responsible for fixing systemic inequities, and not every infant death is preventable.
| Maternal group | Per 1,000 live births |
|---|---|
| Black, non-Hispanic | 10.98 |
| American Indian / Alaska Native, non-Hispanic | 9.20 |
| Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic | 7.90 |
| Hispanic | 4.88 |
| White, non-Hispanic | 4.41 |
| Asian, non-Hispanic | 3.72 |
Source: Ely DM, Driscoll AK. Infant Mortality in the United States, 2024: Data From the Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2026;75(3), June 16, 2026. Read the CDC/NCHS report (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
This is final linked-file data, not a rolling provisional estimate. Maternal mortality is a different measure, typically expressed per 100,000 live births.
Civil rights & policy
NAACP birth-equity resources
The NAACP’s In Support of Black Maternal Health and Birth Equity resolution provides civil-rights and policy context for Black maternal health and birth equity. It is an advocacy resource, not a clinical guideline or the primary source for the current infant-mortality figures above.
Historical figures in advocacy materials may refer to different reporting years. Use the linked CDC/NCHS report for the final 2024 rates rather than treating all published numbers as directly comparable.
Read the NAACP resolution (opens in a new tab)Find support near you
Choose your city, state, or ZIP code in these organizations’ directories. No location is assumed or collected by Bloom. Service areas, fees, eligibility, and availability vary — confirm directly before arranging care.
U.S. partner organizations
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Explore Black-led maternal-health and reproductive-justice partner organizations. This is a partner list, not a chapter network or a guarantee of local clinical services.
U.S. location-based directory
NAACP local units
Connect with a local civil-rights unit for advocacy and community connections. Units are not necessarily maternal-health providers.
U.S. states, D.C. & territories
HRSA Find a Health Center
Search by location for federally funded health centers. Ask the center directly about prenatal, postpartum, pediatric, and other services, costs, and appointments.
U.S. local referral services
Your local 211
Find community referrals for practical needs such as food, housing, and family support. Local directories differ; call 211 if the location search returns no result.
Chicago-area examples
These examples are for families in the Chicago area, not an assumption about where you live. For other locations, start with the directories above. Listings are not endorsements and availability is not guaranteed.
Chicago Volunteer Doulas (opens in a new tab)
Free and low-cost labor, postpartum, and pregnancy-loss support, centering Black and other people of color and resource-denied communities. Confirm current coverage and availability.
BA NIA (opens in a new tab)
Culturally grounded doula support, childbirth education, prenatal and postnatal care, and breastfeeding guidance for BIPOC birthing people in Chicago. Confirm services, costs, and eligibility directly.
Someone to talk to
HRSA’s National Maternal Mental Health Hotline offers free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy. Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). It is not emergency or suicidal-crisis care. For suicidal crisis support in the U.S., call or text 988; for immediate danger, call 911.