In the months since a Black woman died in childbirth at an Inglewood hospital, that facility has announced the closure of its maternity ward, been investigated and fined by the state, and now faces a lawsuit from the woman’s partner.
April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital in January 2023 from a blood clot. Valentine’s family and friends say her doctor and the hospital failed to treat one of the most common and preventable causes of death during pregnancy.
Those who were close to her have called for accountability from state health care regulators and her providers.
“It gives me more hope and it lets me know that my voice didn’t go unheard,” said Nigha Robertson, Valentine’s partner. “It lets me know that everybody who played a part in the Justice for April [movement], didn’t go unheard.”
Still, Robertson and maternal health advocates say they have not yet seen accountability for Valentine or other families harmed by the Black maternal health crisis.
It gives me more hope and it lets me know that my voice didn’t go unheard. It lets me know that everybody who played a part in the Justice for April [movement], didn’t go unheard.
— Nigha Robertson, April Valentine’s partner
Black Californians die from pregnancy complications at a rate nearly four times higher than the general population. Research shows the factors that contribute to the disparities in Black maternal health stem from systemic racism, including lack of access to high-quality health care and health conditions stemming from chronic stress.
“Real accountability would look like a fix in this system that is, you know, contributing…
Read the full article here
