In the United States, most birthing families expect their experience to look like a medical TV drama. Fluorescent lights, medical staff in masks, raised voices, and a rush to get the baby out. Many expectant parents accept that their birth experience may not end the way they dreamed — with C-sections and maternal-fetal complications on the rise.

In 2024, one of the most advanced and wealthiest nations in the world is in the midst of a soaring maternal health crisis. This is the deadliest to give birth in — especially if you are Black. The healthcare and medical insurance systems that are supposed to care for mothers, birthing people, and families are failing us.