Dear team,

The United States is in the midst of a maternal health crisis, and this dire situation has only intensified in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. The U.S. has the highest rate of maternal mortality of any wealthy nation, and shockingly, these rates are on the rise.

Compounding this crisis are long-standing and deeply rooted structural inequities that disproportionately affect Black and Indigenous women, who now face maternal mortality rates two to three times higher than non-Hispanic white women.

In collaboration with state and national partners, the Center for Reproductive Rights' U.S. Maternal Health and Rights Initiative aims to improve access to safe and respectful maternal health care and to promote the human rights of pregnant, birthing, and postpartum people in the United States.

The three guiding priorities for the initiative are:

• Fighting for Access to Safe and Respectful Comprehensive Maternal Health Care: Every individual deserves access to high-quality maternal health care. We are actively working to remove barriers and ensure that comprehensive care is a fundamental right for all.
• Addressing Racism within and beyond the Health Care System: The impact of racism on maternal health cannot be ignored. Our team is committed to dismantling systemic racism within the health care system and beyond to create a more equitable and just society.
• Ensuring High-Quality Data Collection: We recognize that reliable data is essential for effective action. Our initiative is dedicated to establishing a robust data collection system to identify barriers to maternal health and generate equitable, evidence-based policy recommendations.

We greatly appreciate your support as the Center works to establish a legal and policy framework that recognizes maternal health as a human rights issue worldwide. Learn more about our U.S. Maternal Health and Rights initiative here.

In solidarity,

Breana Lipscomb
Senior Adviser, Maternal Health & Rights