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Black Ob-Gyn M.D.s to address the unnecessary deaths of Black Women in 2023ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With the overall U.S. maternal mortality rate (MMR) on the rise, the data behind the African American community paints an even more devastating picture, where the CDC and October 2022 GAO report that the Black Maternal Mortality Rate in 2021 was 68.9 deaths per 100,000 (approximately 2,480 women) compared to 26.1 per 100,000 (about 940 women).
Black Maternal Mortality Rate in 2021 was 68.9 deaths per 100,000 (approximately 2,480 women) The crisis extends past the data, where a direct relationship between these unnecessary deaths and racial concordance has been identified. Black patients often complan that their concerns are not heard nor respected when being seen by a doctor outside of their race, creating a divide between the doctor patient relationship, ultimately preventing the best possible care. To affect change, Dr. Linda Burke and an online group of 748+ Black ob-gyn female physicians rallied, but attempts to obtain seats on professional decision-making committees proved futile leading Dr. Burke to create WHYS™ (We Hear You, Sister!), a resource that would address the challenges patients face in connecting with a doctor that they could relate to and bring a more positive outcome to some of the doctor patient exchanges. WHYS™ (We Hear You, Sister!) is a growing online database and community of 124+ passionate ob-gyn physicians who practice across 29 states in the US, where 88% are board-certified. "Countless black lives could be saved if women of color knew where to find an ob-gyn that could better understand their challenges," states Dr. Burke who has been moved by many stories shared by her colleagues about the uphill battle. "The ability to use my network to build this resource in an attempt to make a difference in the lives of others drives me daily, and my greatest hope is that WHYS™ grows to be a trusted community for all in need," shares Dr. Burke. WHYS™ officially launches in February 2023 in celebration of Black History Month and Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler's birthday. To learn more about Dr. Linda Burke and the WHYS movement, contact Dr. Linda Burke, MD MS, FACOG 407-796-2149 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlindaobgyn/ https://www.thesmartmothersguide.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/drlindaobgyn And Dr. Donna Adams-Pickett, MD PhD, FACOG 706-414-1805
SOURCE Dr. Linda Burke 
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