Recent data from the California Department of Public Health indicates pregnant Black and Hispanic women are more than twice as likely to lack access to non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) compared to their White counterparts. This is alarming news, especially in the face of studies showing a substantial impact on families that do not receive NIPT – resulting in 95-times more false positives results leading to unnecessary referrals and invasive tests, and 22% of Down Syndrome cases missed.
This indicates a troubling racial disparity in maternal health care.
Providing equitable access to the most accurate and consistent prenatal screening, including NIPT options, regardless of insurance plan, socioeconomic level, race, or ethnicity is paramount in reducing California's maternal health disparities
Racism is a public health crisis and discrimination in maternity care is an important piece of that.
Add your name to our petition to demand the Insurance Commissioner of California to investigate racial disparities as it relates to prenatal testing.
