Rep. Underwood addresses Serena, pregnancy risks

In remarks at the TIME 100 Next event this month, U.S. representative Lauren Underwood highlighted the plight of black women's pregnancies in the country.

"Black women are three to four times more likely to die as a result of childbirth in this country [than their white peers]," she shared, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Whether you are Allyson Felix, a world champion gold medal Olympian, a boss on the track and in real life," Underwood said, not done yet. "Whether you are Serena Williams, the greatest athlete of all time. Whether you are Beyoncé Knowles, the queen."

"These ladies have had near-misses that they have been public about where they have pregnancy complications that endangered not only the lives of their children but themselves."

Williams has been candid publicly, in interviews and in writing, about the complications of her pregnancy, which ultimately brought baby joy to her and husband Alexis Ohanian in the form of daughter Olympia.

According to a Harvard University article, citing experts, one reason for the disparity may be racism.

Notably, rising WTA star Coco Gauff was among those named to the TIME 100 Next roster.