Implicit Bias: Impact on Maternal Health in Minority Populations

Course overview

This course examines how implicit bias and structural racism contribute to disparities in maternal and infant health among minority populations in the United States. It defines and differentiates implicit and explicit bias, explains how bias forms and operates within clinical relationships and power differentials, and connects these forces to structural racism and to documented patterns of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Learners explore the most recent national data on these disparities, including the populations at highest and least visible risk, and the everyday clinical moments where bias is most likely to influence care. The course then turns to practical, evidence-informed strategies that individuals, teams, and systems can use to recognize and reduce the impact of bias and structural racism on childbearing patients and their infants. This course was designed for an interprofessional audience.