Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17, is meant to raise awareness of the disparities Black mothers face when giving birth and caring for their babies.

Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. From 2020-2021, maternal mortalities rose by 60%, according to data from the CDC.

State Representative Robin Kelly (IL-02) joined WGN Evening News at 4 p.m. via Zoom to discuss maternal health and her efforts to pass new legislation in Congress.

“We, women, need to advocate for ourselves,” Kelly told WGN News. “We need to speak up. We need to challenge where necessary. We need to ask questions. We have to really be our own best advocates.”

Click here for more information about 2023’s Black Maternal Health Week.