Black Birth Outcomes and Implications for Counseling

ABSTRACT Black women experience disparate rates of adverse birth outcomes in the United States. Empirical evidence suggests that Black women’s distinct socio-cultural experiences yield complex clusters of stressors that increase their vulnerability to poor reproductive health outcomes. The literature points to the weathering effect of racism as a salient contributor to the Black-White birth gap. This article explores the intersectionality of biopsychosocial risk factors for poor birth outcomes among Black women and implications for professional counseling.