A NEW REPORT LOOKS AT THE MAIN CAUSES OF DEATH FOR NEW MOTHERS IN ILLINOIS. 

THE DATA COVERS DEATHS IN 2016 AND 2017 AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN AND THOSE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF PREGNANCY SAYS STATE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR DOCTOR NGOZI (en-gahzi) EZIKE (eh-zee-kay).

DOCTOR NGOZI (en-gahzi) EZIKE (eh-zee-kay). THAT'S FOLLOWED BY PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT WERE EXACERBATED BY THE PREGNANCY, HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS AND HEMORRHAGE.

THAT'S FOLLOWED BY HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS AND HEMORRHAGE. EZIKE SAYS BLACK WOMEN WERE MORE THAN THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO DIE DURING OR WITHIN A YEAR AFTER THEIR PREGNANCY. MOST BLACK WOMEN DIED OF RELATED MEDICAL PROBLEMS WHILE WHITE WOMEN DIED MORE OFTEN BECAUSE OF PREGNANCY-RELATED MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.