A bus campaign is fighting back against shocking maternal mortality rates in The Bronx—the highest in New York City.
Starting Monday (May 18), Bronx Healthy Start Partnership, in collaboration with March of Dimes, will launch its “Low Dose, Big BenefitsTM” campaign to reach Bronx mothers by placing posters on MTA Bronx buses, Bronx bus shelters, and LinkNYC kiosks to spread awareness about preeclampsia and how to avoid the severe and potentially fatal consequences of the condition.
Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder characterized by a dangerous spike in blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy that affects 1 in 25 pregnancies in the U.S. Black women in the U.S. are particularly vulnerable, and are 60% more likely to develop the condition than white women.
In New York City, Black women are 5.3 times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than white women, and in The Bronx, the disparity is only more devastating. The pregnancy- associated mortality ratio is 84.9 per 100,000 live births in the borough where the largest racial demographics are Hispanic/Latino and Black, per Bronx Health Start Partnership. And according to experts, the effects of conditions like preeclampsia turn into a lifelong battle.
“In my clinical practice at Montefiore, I see the devastating consequences of preeclampsia in The Bronx women every week. The cardiovascular risks don’t stop at delivery — they follow these women for life,” Dr. Anna Bortnick, MD, Co-Director, MFM–Cardiology Joint Program, Montefiore Einstein, which is partnering with Bronx Healthy Start Partnership, said in a statement. “Community education and early intervention are our most powerful tools.”
The three goals of the campaign are to “educate, activate, and connect” with women in The Bronx. The posters include information about the impact of taking low-dose aspirin, which can reduce the risk of preeclampsia by 24% when taken daily, starting between 12 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
“Preeclampsia is a preventable tragedy,” Christeen Francis, Bronx Healthy Start’s head of Campaign Leadership, said in a statement. Every woman who boards a Bronx bus deserves to know that 81mg of aspirin a day could save her life — and the life of her child. That’s what this campaign is about.”
Campaign organizers also hope to spread awareness by partnering with local community establishments to give short presentations about preeclampsia and to connect Bronx women to the right prenatal care, health providers, and cardiovascular health resources for life post-delivery.
