In Houston’s Harris County, Texas, Black women face maternal mortality rates that exceed those anywhere else in the nation, revealing a crisis rooted in systemic racism and inequitable healthcare access. From 2016 to 2020, the maternal mortality rate for Black women in the county reached 83.4 per 100,000 live births—far surpassing the national rate of 55.3 for Black women and 19.1 for white women during the same period.
The infant death rate tells an equally troubling story. Black babies in Harris County died at a rate of 11.66 per 1,000 births between 2016 and 2020, more than double the national rate of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020.
Moriah Ballard’s experience exemplifies these disparities. At 22 and seven months pregnant, she developed preeclampsia but felt her concerns were repeatedly dismissed. Despite collapsing multiple times and experiencing blood in her urine, her transfer to a specialized Houston hospital ended in tragedy when her son Denim was delivered stillborn.
Obstetrician-gynecologist Esohe Faith Ohuoba identified poor communication between physicians and patients as a critical factor. “Women of color don’t always receive the same level of attention or intervention as others,” she said, pointing to systemic gaps in communication and cultural awareness.
Rayna Reid Rayford survived only because five physician family members advocated for her when doctors dismissed her severe abdominal pain as dehydration. She ultimately required emergency surgery for acute necrotizing appendicitis. County health officials acknowledge that “prejudices against specific racial groups” contribute to these disparities.
See: “This Texas County Is the Deadliest Place in the U.S. for Black Mothers to Give Birth” (January 14, 2026)Â
