Now Available · Watch the Replay

Black Maternal Health
at Home and Abroad

An urgent conversation with three of the nation's leading experts in obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, and global health equity.

Originally aired April 16, 2026 Zoom Webinar · 1 Hour

Watch the Replay → Free to watch · No registration required

About this event

A conversation that needed to happen

Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women — a disparity that persists regardless of income, education, or access to care. Globally, the picture is even more alarming.

This webinar brought together three of the nation's foremost leaders in obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, and global health policy for an honest, evidence-based conversation about why these disparities exist, what the data tells us, and what must change.

The replay is now available. Whether you are a healthcare professional, community advocate, concerned parent, or simply someone who believes every mother's life matters — this conversation is for you.

What you will learn

How maternal mortality is defined and measured — and why the numbers may be worse than reported
Why Black women die at disproportionate rates, and the systemic factors driving that gap
How the United States compares to other Western nations and what we can learn from them
What is happening in developing nations and how global interventions are making a difference
How you can take action — including supporting Mama Kits through Mercy for Mamas, delivering life-saving birthing supplies to mothers in need

Featured panelists

Three leaders. One urgent mission.

Panelist 01

Carol Major, MD

Specialist, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
President, Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO)

Panelist 02

Margaret A. Kelley, MD, FACOG

Panelist 03

Tamika Auguste, MD

Chair, Women's & Infants' Services, MedStar Health
Professor, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Chair, ACOG Foundation Board

Your moderator

Akua Afriyie-Gray, MD, FACOG

Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecologist · UT Health Austin
Associate Professor, Dell Medical School Department of Women's Health

Dr. Afriyie-Gray is a subspecialty-trained pediatric and adolescent gynecologist practicing at the clinical partnership between Dell Children's Medical Center and UT Health Austin. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center and subspecialty training at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Children's National Medical Center. A nationally recognized educator and researcher, Dr. Afriyie-Gray has presented at the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the National Medical Association, and the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, and is a recipient of multiple distinguished patient care awards, including the Distinguished African American Physician honor at the Harlem Fine Arts Show.

What to expect

An hour that could change how you see this crisis

This one-hour panel moves from the local to the global — grounding you in the data, the disparities, and the real-world solutions that are saving lives.

Session 01

What is maternal mortality — and why are the real numbers worse than reported?

We start with the facts: how maternal mortality is defined, how it's measured, and what the data reveals about Black maternal health right here in Texas. Understanding the problem is the first step toward solving it.

Dr. Carol Major, MD · Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Session 02

How does the United States compare — and why are we falling behind?

Black women in America die at rates that would be unacceptable in any peer nation. This session examines how U.S. maternal outcomes stack up against other Western countries, where the racial disparities are sharpest, and what systemic change looks like.

Dr. Margaret A. Kelley, MD, FACOG

Session 03

A global crisis — what is happening to mothers in developing nations?

Beyond U.S. borders, the picture is even more urgent. This session explores the root causes of maternal mortality in developing nations — from policy gaps to infrastructure — and the evidence-based interventions that are genuinely saving lives.

Dr. Tamika Auguste, MD · MedStar Health & Georgetown

Session 04

Mama Kits — how a birthing kit can mean the difference between life and death

In many parts of the world, a mother gives birth without a single medical supply. Learn how the Mama Kits program — supported by the Lone Star (TX) Chapter through Mercy for Mamas — delivers life-saving birthing kits to mothers who need them most, and how you can help.

To close

Your questions, answered by the experts

The final segment belongs to you. Dr. Afriyie-Gray brings your submitted questions directly to the panel — three of the nation's leading voices in maternal health, ready to engage.

Moderated by Dr. Akua Afriyie-Gray, MD, FACOG

Take action

Support Mama Kits

The Lone Star (TX) Chapter supports the Mama Kits program through Mercy for Mamas — a maternal health initiative that delivers essential birthing supply kits to mothers in developing nations who would otherwise deliver without basic medical resources.

A single kit can mean the difference between life and death for a mother and her baby. In the replay, you will hear directly from our panelists about the global crisis that makes programs like Mama Kits so essential.

We invite you to watch — and to give.

Donate to Mama Kits →

Your donation is tax-deductible through the Lone Star (TX) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.