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This is Our Body Politics. I'm the creator and host, Farai Chidea.

Today I'm talking to people working to end the maternal mortality crisis.

Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are the worst of any developed country, and black

women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related

complications than white women.

U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood of Illinois has made maternal health care reform one of her

main missions in Congress. She's a registered nurse who worked

at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before being elected to the House in 2018.

And she's co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus. Representative Underwood,

welcome. Thank you. Hi, Fry. I'm so glad to be with you. I am really glad to be with you.

And you really have such an extraordinary background to bring to lawmaking. Start off by telling us

about your work in the Black Maternal Health Caucus. Why did you decide to do this work?

...