When a child is born, medical providers quickly calculate the Apgar score. Using a 0-10 scale, numbers are assigned to gauge the baby’s breathing, pulse rate and other vitals. A score below 7 is a sign of potential distress that may require emergency care.
If there was an Apgar score for maternal health, our nation wouldn’t come close to a 7.
Nearly 1,200 women in the United States — almost 60 percent of whom were women of color — died in 2...