#BumpDay 2020 Campaign Prompts Action for Expectant Black Moms
Washington, July 23, 2020 — The 6th annual #BumpDay - a social media advocacy campaign organized by What To Expect and the What To Expect Project in collaboration with a diverse range of partners, raised awareness and support among hundreds of thousands of expectant moms, friends, families, advocates, decision-makers, and other leaders posting social media messages about the urgent need to reduce the high rate of maternal deaths among Black moms, and to address disparities in health care. This message has been especially critical this year with the challenges presented by COVID-19.
#BumpDay is also a day to celebrate all beautiful bumps and healthy pregnancies, so on July 22 people in support posted their favorite baby bump photo (past or present) and they collectively reached countless people in the U.S. and globally.
Most complications from pregnancy and childbirth could be prevented or managed if women had access to quality prenatal care. Sadly, 1 in 5 births worldwide happens without that assistance. Even in the U.S., about 15 percent of women receive inadequate prenatal care, and Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than white women.
The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to restrict access to quality maternal health care even further.
Notable participants included U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth, Chris Coons and Richard Blumenthal, and TV personalities Sarah Haines of Good Morning America, Jessica Moore of CBS, and Bravo's Jenni Pulos. Leading domestic and global health entities and organizations also participated, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March of Dimes, the National Partnership for Women & Families, the National Association of County Health Officials, mothers2mothers, Project Hope, the Hunger Project, Pathfinder International, and Jhpiego.
Among media covering the event were Forbes Magazine, #BumpDay Highlights Coronavirus And Racial Disparities In Pregnancy, and an interview on The Rickey Smiley Show with author and founder of the What To Expect Project, Heidi Murkoff.
More information about the What To Expect Project and #BumpDay is found at www.WhatToExpectProject.org.