Anne Arundel County Proclaims Black Maternal Health Week April 11–17

The Anne Arundel County Government has officially designated April 11–17, 2026, as Black Maternal Health Week, a proclamation issued today by County Executive Steuart Pittman says. 

According to the proclamation, more than 80 percent of pregnancy related deaths in the United States are preventable, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The proclamation states that Black women in the United States are more than three times as likely as other women to die from pregnancy related causes. It further notes that in Anne Arundel County, Black women return to the hospital for postpartum issues at twice the rate of other women.

Disparities in maternal mortality reportedly persist across income levels, education levels, socioeconomic status, access to health care, and behavioral health, highlighting the widespread nature of the issue.

"Black Maternal Health Week serves as an opportunity to bring awareness to pregnancy-related deaths among Black women, while also amplifying the voices of Black mothers, women, and families," the document continues. "It emphasizes the importance of addressing maternal health, birth outcomes, and reproductive justice."

“Now, therefore,” the proclamation reads, Steuart L. Pittman officially proclaimed April 11–17, 2026, as Black Maternal Health Week in Anne Arundel County and commended efforts to raise awareness and foster positive change.

To learn more, visit: AAHealth.org/maternal-infant-health.