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Despite per-capita spending on health care that far exceeds every other nation, the United States has the highest rate of pregnancy-related deaths in the developed world. The racial disparities are stark — for every 100,000 live births in a given year, 42 black mothers died, compared to 13 white mothers. From pregnancy to delivery, thousands of American women live in “maternal toxic zones” characterized by lack of access to health care, high rates of cardiovascular disease, and discrimination, yet a shocking 60 percent of maternal deaths are preventable. Why are maternal mortality rates rising in the United States, while declining sharply worldwide? Do we need a Birth Bill of Rights that guarantees safe childbirth?
- 2019 Health
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Arts
A look back at what we've read, watched, and listened this year.
Music and dance are humanity’s hallmarks, a shared ritual of communities the world over. Over the millennia, we’ve created some highly specialized forms, but at its root, musi...
At the 2020 Aspen Ideas Festival, five of America's premier artists in classical music, jazz, and ballet bring virtual audiences works of art intended to deepen thought.
Time on your hands? Looking to escape into learning? Dive deeply into a broad array of topics from Aspen Ideas. Discover how soul music became a soundtrack to some of our nati...
Women's History Month is an opportunity to honor the indelible contributions women have made in societies around the world. But don't wait until remarkable women are in histor...