Death of Indiana pediatric doctor after childbirth raises attention to maternal mortality rate

A grieving husband and a state representative want action after a beloved pediatric doctor dies just days after giving birth.

It's a troubling issue because Indiana has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality, especially among Black women.

Anthony Wallace is still in disbelief. Just three weeks ago, he and his wife, Dr. Chaniece Wallace, were counting down the weeks to the birth of their baby girl Charlotte.

"She fell victim to what she advocated against. She fell victim to it herself, even being a physician," Anthony said.

On Oct. 20 Chaniece, the chief pediatric resident at the IU School of Medicine, was rushed into surgery for an an emergency C-section. She had developed preeclampsia, a dangerous form of high blood pressure in pregnant women.

But that was just the start.

"She ended up having a ruptured liver," Anthony told 13News.

Initially, doctors at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital couldn't find the source of the bleeding. Chaniece went back into surgery. That's when she began experiencing kidney failure. Then three days after she gave birth, a brain hemorrhage took her life.

"My life will never be the same," said Anthony, who is now left to raise Charlotte on his own. He's also seeking answers about his wife's care.

"I am concerned about it. I did have an autopsy done. And I will be doing an investigation," he revealed for the first time.

Anthony knows the dismal numbers associated with maternal mortality.

Last summer, 13 Investigates found Indiana is among the worst in the country and was ranked in the top three for deaths. Numbers from America's Health Rankings and the Indiana Department of Health, showed African American women dying at higher rates from childbirth complications.

"My wife spoke often about women of color and how their voices are silenced. They're not really heard," recalled Anthony.

"It's extremely sad," said State Representative Vanessa Summers (D- Indianapolis).

"In 53 out of 100,000 (live births) African American women die just by having a baby in Indiana," Summers explained, pointing out the disparity in birthing outcomes.

For white women, 41.4 of every 100,000 live births also result in death across the state.

Summers believes Chaniece's case raises additional concerns about implicit bias because Chaniece was a doctor and had accessible health care.

"This is happening. It shouldn't be happening. We're not in the 1950s. We have got to do better," said Summers, who is planning to introduce new legislation in 2021.

Summers wants to see more doulas hired to help mothers and increase Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to a full year.

The state has already created a Maternal Mortality Review Board. That group of experts will try to determine if Chaniece's death could have been prevented.



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[karap]

I had preeclampsia with both of my kids. Its very scary and very intense. RIP so sorry this happened

Pregnancy is scary my mother almost died from giving birth to my younger sister. She’s hispanic from puertorico and they left gauze pads inside her uterus and she was bleeding heavy . Emergency trip to the hospital to stop the bleeding and remove the gauges 🥺

[allieb]

Probably was not monitored properly at all. How did Kim Kardashian manage 2 pregnancies with severe preeclampsia and never have any close calls?

[micheleotero]

Child birth can be dangerous. Rip. I have two sons age 30 and 38. Sorry for your loss

[oraldinepoellnitz]

I am so sorry for your loss. Your loss is also a huge loss for the medical field as well as the Black community 🙏 for you and your family.

[plainjane]

They don't want to discuss how the rate of C-sections has Skyrocketed and up 500% in just One Generation!
1 in 3 babies is born via c-section in the U.S. ~Harvard University
Doctor's in general "scare" woman into Not trusting their own bodies! My mother was in labor for more than 24hrs with me and survived just fine..with my siblings it wasn't a full day. I'm not saying there aren't cases where it's necessary but that the procedure has been well Over Used. Woman have been made to believe childbirth shouldn't be some messy, lengthy, painful process..it's been sugar coated.
That may not have played a part in this poor woman's death..idk.
Every situation and woman is different though.
Your body can only handle so much stress (including Surgery). I myself was "induced" and I expected it to take a Long time...nope, after just a few hrs the doctors came in and said, "ohh, it's not moving along fast enough" so we will do a c-section..even though there was Nothing wrong with me or the baby! No issues with blood pressure, HR, etc..no cord wrapped around baby etc..nothing. I wasn't dilating "quick enough". I was young and trusted the doctors medical training. I look back now and realize it was unwarranted and I could've waited..gave my body more time to go through the Natural Processes.

[mandy]

I almost died with My 2nd baby
Started to bleed out
They rushed me away from husband n never let me see my son .till
They new i was Okay

[kaylasrainbow]

Praying for this brother and our people in Jesus’s name.❤️🙏🏾✝️

[lovegodschild]

sounds like someone was harming her gorgeous woman horrible dis happened pray hard daily on your love ones 🙏🏿

[lesliemcclinton]

Abortion karma from 30 million abortions.

[Alexandria.Washington]

I think the problem is the advancing maternal age of mothers which often leads to more health related complications. I had all three of my children naturally, no c-sections, no epidurals, no high blood pressure, no health issues. I was also in my late 20s with my first two babies (girls), and age 30 with my final baby (boy), and all were extremely healthy.

[bigsnacks]

Preeclampsia is deadly...I’m not sure that’s the doctors fault. I wonder how the baby is doing? May she RIP.

[jamesbedukodjograham]

I have not had a baby yet but to see a doctor die during childhirth.😊