Maternal mortality dropped by almost half over the last 25 years around the world. However, in startling contrast, deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth doubled in the United States between 2000 and 2014, putting the nation second-to-last in maternal mortality among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Further, pernicious racial disparities mean that black women in the United States face a deeply distressing three- to four-times higher risk of pregnancy-related deaths. What factors are driving these increases and disparities? What changes will narrow the survival gap between white and black women? How can health care systems more effectively prevent complications and poor outcomes? And how can mothers themselves and their communities be agents for change for a more equitable and safe delivery of the next generation? Part of The Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forums, this event was presented jointly with PRI's The World & WGBH on March 4, 2019. Watch the entire series: https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/