Study finds Black Canadians face markedly higher risk of severe pregnancy complications
A new CMAJ study shows Black parents in Canada experience severe maternal morbidity at rates far above those of white parents, highlighting systemic inequities in maternity care.
The most extensive Canadian maternal-health analysis to date, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, compared more than 108,000 in-hospital deliveries to Black patients with 1.3 million to white patients between 2012 and 2023. Severe maternal morbidity—including pre-eclampsia, hemorrhage and sepsis—was recorded at 47.8 per 1,000 live births for Black parents, compared with 27.7 per 1,000 for white parents.
Adjusted models still showed a 66 % higher risk for Black patients, a disparity that persisted even when accounting for conditions like sickle-cell disease. Researchers stress that race itself is not the cause; rather, structural biases in access, communication and treatment drive the gap. Community leaders and health-care advocates urge governments and hospitals to implement systematic race-based data tracking, improve staff training, and fund Black-led maternity services to address the inequities.
Why it matters
The study provides concrete evidence of racial disparities in Canadian maternal health, prompting calls for systemic reforms.
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