Examining the Impact of the Syndemic on Black Birthing Individuals in the USA: a Systematic Review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created a unique set of challenges within the USA. The combination of the pandemic and long-standing systemic racism has generated greater maternal health disparities in minoritized populations, especially Black birthing individuals, creating a syndemic. This systematic review evaluated studies conducted between March 2020 and December 2024 to examine how Black birthing individuals' lives were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism.

The impact of the pandemic on mothers and children, with a focus on syndemic effects on black families: the "Prenatal to Preschool" study protocol.

Introduction: Racism, a known social determinant of health, affects the mental health and well-being of pregnant and postpartum women and their children. Convincing evidence highlights the urgent need to better identify the mechanisms and the ways in which young children's development and mental health are adversely impacted by their mothers' experiences of racism. With the additional stressor of the COVID-19 pandemic, the criticality of improving knowledge of these domains has never been starker.