Black Women’s Health Is at Risk in This Election: Here’s What You Need to Know

Tuesday, November 4, 2024, is fast approaching.

While most individuals are looking forward to the second presidential debate pitting Vice President Harris against former President Trump on September 10, 2024, a few of us are concerned about what this election means for our health. As we’ve previously reported, Black women are increasingly calling this 12 months’s election more vital than last 12 months’s because not only is our autonomy and democracy at stake, but in addition our health.

According to a recent study conducted by Black Women in America National Poll The survey, conducted by the Highland Project and Brilliant Corners Research and Strategies, found that 71 percent of black women voters said this was crucial election of their lifetime. While racism and discrimination are also top issues for 94 percent of black women, in addition to reforming the criminal justice system, protecting Social Security and Medicare, fighting inflation and lowering the associated fee of products, we’re also deeply concerned about our health care system, which has failed us before.

Our maternal community often suffers or is at the middle of the Black maternal health crisis, as Black women are thrice more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to the CDC. Several aspects contribute to these disparities: lack of quality health care, chronic health conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias.

While we hope each administrations will prioritize the well-being of Black women, the Harris Administration stands ready to construct on its agenda to ensure equity in maternal health care and address racial and ethnic disparities, reminiscent of the disproportionately high rate of maternal mortality amongst blacks women, according to the Commonwealth Fund. The Biden-Harris administration Previously made progress Closing the gap in access to maternal healthcare by increasing the variety of maternal healthcare employees and launching a maternal mental health helpline.

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in its Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, eliminating federal abortion rights, leading to women across the United States fearing their lack of bodily autonomy and futures. Now, because of this, abortion and the flexibility to obtain contraception, given the blocking of the Right to Contraception Act of 2024, are hot topics. So how might the election affect access to abortion and other reproductive health care services?

Reinforcing and continuing . The Biden-Harris Administration has reaffirmed that abortion is acceptable for patients with emergency medical conditions under EMTALA.

: Although the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the Supreme Court was able to preserve access to mifepristone, which is used with misoprostol for medication abortion. If Trump is elected, his administration could order the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revoke approval of the drug combination for abortion or issue policies that restrict access to medication abortion.

: While the Harris administration could proceed to expand access to contraceptives after the law’s repeal , the Trump White House could weaken or completely remove provisions of the Affordable Care Act that cover contraception (including emergency contraception).