Black maternal mortality expert available for interview following Olympic medalist Tori Bowie’s death

Olympic medalist Tori Bowe died from complications in childbirth last month at only 32 years old. Unfortunately, her story is too common — the U.S. has the highest mortality rate of any high-income country, and Black women are 2.6 times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women.

Ochsner expert Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell — an obstetrician and gynecologist, the medical director of Louisiana’s state maternal mortality review committee, and Black woman who has recounted her own personal birth story — can explain how fear of the healthcare system, untreated mental health conditions and misunderstanding of warning signs too frequently impact Black mothers.