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The Black maternal health crisis has been an ever-growing issue within our country. According to a report released by the National Partnership for Women & Families, African American women in the U.S. are more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than women of any other race. Further research revealed that Black women are more likely to experience preventable maternal death than white women. Tennis star Serena Williams is determined to address these alarming trends. She recently invested in the maternal healthcare startup Mahmee, Black Enterprise reported.

For Williams, the matter is personal. She has been very candid about the complications she endured while giving birth to her now 1-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. She needed two surgeries after having a C-section due to a pulmonary embolism that had developed. The app—which was co-created by Melissa Hanna—connects patients with healthcare providers so that they can develop a solid prenatal and postpartum healthcare plan.  Mahmee provides expecting parents with a comprehensive dashboard that tracks the health of the mother and child. Parents can also utilize the platform for educational resources.

“Mahmee is a digital maternal health care company that uses predictive analytics to provide personalized, on-demand support to new mothers and infants. Women’s healthcare, in general, is substantially under-regulated. This is across the board. Maternity is just the glaring error of it all,” Hanna told The Helm in an interview. “There is so much work that we need to do on postpartum depression and women’s mental health in general.”

Williams is proud to back the growing company. “I am incredibly excited to invest and partner with Mahmee, a company that personifies my firm’s investment philosophy,” she said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “Given the bleak data surrounding maternal death and injury rates, I believe that it is absolutely critical right now to invest in solutions that help protect the lives of moms and babies. Mahmee’s data-driven approach is the right solution to one of the most significant problems in the system: that of fragmented care.”

Williams has been dedicated to investing in the futures of women entrepreneurs. In March, she joined forces with Bumble to provide women with capital to start and further their business ventures.

SEE ALSO:

Serena Williams Becomes Second Black Woman Tennis Player To Grace Wheaties Box

Serena Williams Joins Forces With Bumble To Support Women Of Color Entrepreneurs

Serena Williams Invests In Startup Focused On Maternal Health  was originally published on newsone.com