Racism pervades all aspects of our lives, including the quality of medical care we receive.
That’s especially true for Black mothers and babies. According to the California Department of Public Health's most recent data, Black infants are three times more likely to die and 60 percent more likely to be born prematurely than white infants. And Black mothers are three times more likely to die due to pregnancy or delivery complications than white mothers.
RELATED: San Diego Initiative Looks To Improve Maternal And Infant Care For Black Families
To address the disparities in the health care system and improve outcomes for Black families, San Diego County has launched the Black Legacy Now campaign.
"It's a clarion call to action that these inequities are fundamentally unjust," said Dr. Thomas R. Coleman, medical director of Maternal, Child, and Family Health Services with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency. Dr. Coleman joined Midday Edition to talk about why there is an urgent need for the campaign.
RELATED: Doulas Seen As Key To Battling Maternal, Infant Death Among San Diego’s Black Community
