ABSTRACT
Maternal morbidity and mortality are disproportionately higher in minority racial and ethnic women in the United States. During pregnancy, the body’s protective system, or the immune system, is activated to aid in the development and progression of a successful pregnancy. Inflammation is a part of this activation; however, excessive inflammation causes more harm than good in the body. Black women experience more inflammation than their white counterparts, due to multiple factors. This excess inflammation may contribute to the significant maternal health disparities observed in Black women and other racial and ethnic minorities. Poor maternal health impacts the life of the mother and their child in both the short and the long term. This chapter explores the role of excessive inflammation in chronic diseases and poor maternal health. Additionally, a description of current efforts and recommendations to improve overall maternal health to eliminate health disparities in maternal and fetal outcomes are also described.
