HOUSTON – A certified nurse midwife with Ben Taub Hospital says barriers to basic health care along with systemic racism continue to fuel disproportionate maternal deaths among Black women in Harris County, even as Houston sits in the shadow of one of the world’s largest medical centers.
Georgina Eldridge, who works within the Harris Health system, says many patients are also uninsured or underinsured and may not know how to apply for coverage or support programs that could connect them with prenatal care.
“So lack of knowledge of how to apply for care is also an issue here with Harris health,” Eldridge said.
Eldridge said that lack of access can delay routine checkups that catch problems early and urged the consequences can be deadly.
Among the most dangerous complications, she said, is preeclampsia, a pregnancy-related high blood pressure condition that can become life-threatening with little warning.
“It is called a silent killer,” Eldridge said, explaining symptoms may not appear until blood pressure reaches dangerous levels. She urged pregnant patients to keep prenatal appointments, pay attention to fetal movement once a baby begins to move, and monitor their blood pressure.
“I am a strong believer that every home in the United States should have a blood pressure cuff,” Eldridge said, calling it a simple, potentially life-saving tool.
Beyond access, Eldridge said the disproportionate impact on Black mothers reflects long-standing inequities in the medical system.
“This issue impacts black women because of the systemic racism that has been going on in our medical system since the time of slavery unfortunately,” she said. “And because of the difficulties of the access to care and even if a mom has the same socioeconomic status, the same level of education, a black mom is still more likely to die or have complications from birth compared to a Caucasian woman, and that’s just so unfortunate that we cannot better those results,” she said.
Eldridge said Harris Health is working to improve outcomes by focusing on equitable care and ensuring patients are “seen and heard,” regardless of race, background or financial status.
She also called for sustained public attention including broader community campaigns to keep maternal health disparities from being overlooked.
“If an issue is not being brought up, it gets swept under the rug,” she said.
Eldridge highlighted resources available through Harris Health for pregnant patients, including a team of 11 nurse midwives with varied backgrounds and multilingual services, including Spanish-speaking providers. She also promoted “Centering Pregnancy” classes aimed at helping patients understand pregnancy, potential complications, and what to expect during delivery.
Harris Health is also hosting a community baby shower for pregnant mothers on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at Northwest Health Center, 1100 W. 34th St., Houston, TX 77018, she said.
Ultimately, Eldridge said, pregnant patients should not be forced to weigh the cost of care against their safety.
“A woman should not have to worry about will they live through their delivery,” she said. “They should just be more concerned about the excitement of having this new life.”