Maternal health: Progress — but challenges remain: Part 1

20-Minute Health Talk · Aug 12, 2026 · 16m

Host Sandra Lindsay, DHSc is joined by Dawnette Lewis, MD, MBA, director of Northwell’s Center for Maternal Health, to assess the current landscape of maternal morbidity and mortality. Dr. Lewis reveals that the U.S. continues to have one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, with Black birthing mothers still carrying a disproportionately high burden. She argues that disparities for Black mothers persist even when accounting for varying socioeconomic status, citing historically inequitable care and other systemic barriers that stall progress. The discussion also…