How To Better Protect Yourself As a Black Birthing Person
1 year ago

How To Better Protect Yourself As a Black Birthing Person

Huff Post  

A few days after coming home from the hospital, I knew something was seriously wrong. Those stories helped my team and I to create a pregnancy app — one designed to serve the health of pregnant women, not only the babies — as well as develop steps that people of color can take to better arm and inform themselves so that they don’t become casualties of our system. The reality is that studies show increased rates of high blood pressure in Black communities — it’s one of the most basic things to track. Then there’s the Wolomi app, which has done a wonderful job building an online pregnancy community for women of color, as well as Dr. Renaissa Anthony’s Shero, which provides pregnancy education and group prenatal care support in one digital location. Guided by this shared mission, I’ve even created my own app, The Journey Pregnancy — a tool to document everything about your maternal health from your positive pregnancy test through postpartum recovery.

Health Support Pregnancy Women Black Color Black Women System Birthing Person  birthing  person  health  birth  system  postpartum  medical  support  black  color  better  pregnancy  women  protect

History of this topic

Federal review ‘raises concerns’ about care for Black pregnant patients at Cedars-Sinai
4 months, 1 week ago

Federal review ‘raises concerns’ about care for Black pregnant patients at Cedars-Sinai

LA Times  

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has been the subject of a federal review by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights over its treatment of Black pregnant patients. Federal investigators looking into the treatment of Black pregnant patients at Cedars-Sinai Health System have found evidence that federal laws against discrimination may not have been followed, according to …

Pregnancy is already deadlier for Black women. Abortion bans will only make it worse
5 months ago

Pregnancy is already deadlier for Black women. Abortion bans will only make it worse

The Independent  

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I really was not heard.” She’s echoed almost verbatim by another Black …

Takeaways from AP’s report on government programs tackling the US maternal death crisis
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Takeaways from AP’s report on government programs tackling the US maternal death crisis

Associated Press  

Across the U.S., programs at all levels of government — federal, state and local — are striving to reduce maternal mortality and erase the racial gap. “You try to get them in their first trimester and then work with them to delivery day, and then we also work with the babies to make sure that they reach their milestones.” Healthy …

As Black Women, We Will Reclaim Our Reproductive Autonomy. For Me, This Is Where It Starts.
1 year, 4 months ago

As Black Women, We Will Reclaim Our Reproductive Autonomy. For Me, This Is Where It Starts.

Huff Post  

As a Black working mom who recently hit her 30s, I’ve had my fair share of conversations with my loved ones about my plans for more kids. So many of you will feel this: When the notion of egg freezing was brought to my attention, it seemed like another luxury Black birthing people somehow don’t have access to, both financially …

Birth can be dismal for Black women. What this hospital is doing to stop that
1 year, 6 months ago

Birth can be dismal for Black women. What this hospital is doing to stop that

LA Times  

Brianna Mckenzie was feverish and shaking in her bed as night drew near at MLK Community Hospital. Nurse Midwife Angela Sojobi, middle, checks on patient Brianna Mckenzie in the labor and delivery unit at MLK Community Hospital in August. In general, “you really don’t need a doctor — until you need a doctor.” Holly Smith, health policy chair of the …

The Black Maternal Mortality Crisis and Why It Remains an Issue : Consider This from NPR
1 year, 8 months ago

The Black Maternal Mortality Crisis and Why It Remains an Issue : Consider This from NPR

NPR  

The Black Maternal Mortality Crisis and Why It Remains an Issue The U.S. has the worst maternal mortality rate of high-income countries globally, and the numbers have only grown. According to a new study published in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association – maternal death rates remain the highest among Black women, and those high rates have more …

Black women hit hardest as maternal death rates soar in US
1 year, 8 months ago

Black women hit hardest as maternal death rates soar in US

Al Jazeera  

US maternal mortality rate findings should be ‘call to action’, researcher says, as deaths more than double in 20 years. Overall, the number of deaths per 100,000 live births rose from 12.7 to 32.2 in that 20-year span, while the number of deaths among Black women increased from 26.7 to 55.4. The greatest jump over time was seen among American …

Tori Bowie And Black Maternal Mortality In The U.S.
1 year, 9 months ago

Tori Bowie And Black Maternal Mortality In The U.S.

Huff Post  

The release of track and field athlete Tori Bowie’s autopsy results earlier this week devastated not only her fans, but the Black community at large — we are far too familiar with pregnancy-related complications and even death. Bowie is the latest high-profile Black woman whose pregnancy-related complications shed light on the overall traumatic experiences of Black birthing people. And while …

Black mothers in the US speak of challenges and resilience
1 year, 9 months ago

Black mothers in the US speak of challenges and resilience

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Ciara’s doula supporting her …

6 Ways We Must Show Up For Black Moms This Mother's Day
1 year, 10 months ago

6 Ways We Must Show Up For Black Moms This Mother's Day

Huff Post  

Cassandra Welchlin is the executive director of the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable. Pass Black Maternal Health-Focused Legislation Policies like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, a package of 12 bills that address maternal health disparities through a comprehensive set of initiatives, aim to, among others, make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, …

First black maternal conference aims to look at racial health disparities
2 years ago

First black maternal conference aims to look at racial health disparities

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Sandra Igwe said the gathering of clinicians, service providers and mothers is the first …

Black Midwives Are Pillars Of Pregnancy Care. Here’s What We Can Learn From Them.
2 years, 1 month ago

Black Midwives Are Pillars Of Pregnancy Care. Here’s What We Can Learn From Them.

Huff Post  

Elias Williams/Ariel Cobbert for HuffPost From Left: Midwives Helena Grant, Martine Jean-Baptiste and Alexis Dunn Amore. I think the way our medical establishment is set up, it’s not for pregnant people to ask questions and learn and be an active participant in their care. It’s a little baby, but then it’s also this person who’s giving birth and who is …

Black, Hispanic And Asian Babies Born Very Early Are Less Likely To Receive Lifesaving Measures
2 years, 7 months ago

Black, Hispanic And Asian Babies Born Very Early Are Less Likely To Receive Lifesaving Measures

Huff Post  

Mya Morenzoni Mya Morenzoni and her daughter Aria in the NICU. “When viewed alongside the existing data about Black infant mortality and Black maternal mortality, the inescapable conclusion is that some of these babies were killed by racism.” The question is, which ones? “Overall,” said Venkatesh, “Black, Hispanic and Asian infants were about 20% less likely to receive intervention.” Many …

"Aftershock" directors on how the anti-midwife campaign wrought the Black maternal mortality crisis
2 years, 8 months ago

"Aftershock" directors on how the anti-midwife campaign wrought the Black maternal mortality crisis

Salon  

Hulu's new documentary "Aftershock" is devoted to examining the obscene disparity in maternal mortality rates that Black women face, but its climax centers on a smooth, problem-free delivery at a birthing center. The documentary shows how much work still lies ahead to bring down the Black maternal mortality rate and prevent other families from sustaining such a terrible loss while …

The 'Strong Black Woman' Trope Is A Trap
2 years, 9 months ago

The 'Strong Black Woman' Trope Is A Trap

Huff Post  

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is perhaps my least favorite hackneyed phrase. Telling the story of contemporary violence against Black women and girls and, more broadly, of violence in the United States meant taking stock of the many ways we routinely harm those on the margins. For whatever reason, people of color have a higher incidence of maternal …

Opinion: To end America’s maternal mortality crisis, dismantle the racism that fuels it
3 years, 8 months ago

Opinion: To end America’s maternal mortality crisis, dismantle the racism that fuels it

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Stacey D. Stewart is president and CEO of the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that supports mothers and babies’ health through research, advocacy and education. Stacey D. Stewart Courtesy of Stacey D. Stewart/Delores Holloway Richard Besser c/o Robert Wood Johnson Foundation To achieve birth equity and justice – the idea that all who give birth should have …

Editorial: Black new mothers are dying at unacceptably high rates. We have to confront that
3 years, 10 months ago

Editorial: Black new mothers are dying at unacceptably high rates. We have to confront that

LA Times  

Childbirth has always been perilous for women. In California, which has a lower rate of maternal death than the country as a whole, the disparity is even wider for Black and Indigenous women; in recent years, they have died from complications of childbirth at three to four times the rate of white women. The reasons maternal death is higher among …

Op-Ed: How to change an American medical system that harms Black maternal health
3 years, 10 months ago

Op-Ed: How to change an American medical system that harms Black maternal health

LA Times  

The current state of Black maternal health in the United States is a grim indication that we as a country have lost our way. Despite advances in reproductive technologies and safe motherhood initiatives, hospitals do not keep Black women and people who are pregnant or recently gave birth safe during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. The dire statistics showing premature death …

Harris highlights pregnancy difficulties facing Black women
3 years, 11 months ago

Harris highlights pregnancy difficulties facing Black women

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — One Black mother said she nearly died after her son was born following an earlier miscarriage and a stillbirth. “We didn’t see this coming,” Donna Trim-Stewart, the grandmother, said at a White House- To mark Black Maternal Health Week, Vice President Kamala Harris led a discussion Tuesday of the issues that make African American women two to three …

As a Black mother-to-be, I used my husband’s whiteness to keep me safe
4 years ago

As a Black mother-to-be, I used my husband’s whiteness to keep me safe

The Independent  

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy In 2015, D’Lissa Parkes – a 26-year-old Black …

Why are so many black women still dying in childbirth?
4 years, 7 months ago

Why are so many black women still dying in childbirth?

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

Why Black Women Fear For Their Lives In The Delivery Room
4 years, 9 months ago

Why Black Women Fear For Their Lives In The Delivery Room

Huff Post  

Ariel Skelley via Getty Images A Black mother cradles her newborn baby in the hospital. And so what we report are actually very good numbers around maternal mortality — but we don’t actually have accurate data, period.” Scott, who recently attended a maternal mortality summit in the U.S., said she came away with confirmation that racism and racial disparities play …

Birth Is More Dangerous For Black Moms Than White Moms — Even In The Same Hospital
5 years, 2 months ago

Birth Is More Dangerous For Black Moms Than White Moms — Even In The Same Hospital

Huff Post  

KidStock via Getty Images It is extremely well-documented that pregnancy and childbirth are far more dangerous for Black women in the U.S. than for white women. Comparing birth outcomes among Black, Latina and white moms who had babies at the same hospitals in New York City, researchers found that women of color had a significantly higher risk of developing life-threatening …

Black women almost twice as likely to suffer stillbirths, study shows
5 years, 8 months ago

Black women almost twice as likely to suffer stillbirths, study shows

The Independent  

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Black women are almost twice as likely to …

Black babies are more likely to be stillborn. That is institutional racism
5 years, 8 months ago

Black babies are more likely to be stillborn. That is institutional racism

The Independent  

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Now, following extensive research from Queen Mary University of London, looking at …

Black Women Are 3 Times As Likely To Die In Childbirth, And Kamala Harris Has A Plan
5 years, 10 months ago

Black Women Are 3 Times As Likely To Die In Childbirth, And Kamala Harris Has A Plan

Huff Post  

The only place Sen. Kamala Harris has time to read anything that isn’t one of her briefing books is when she’s on a plane. “Every day we wait, every day we don’t address it, is a day that a mother could possibly die.” - Sen. Kamala Harris Her team got to work on what would evolve into the Maternal CARE …

What it means to be black and pregnant in America (opinion)
5 years, 11 months ago

What it means to be black and pregnant in America (opinion)

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Ashton R. Lattimore is a writer and lawyer based in Philadelphia. Last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren rolled out a plan to offer “bonus” funds to hospitals that reduce their rates of maternal mortality among black women – and to penalize those that don’t confront the problem. And though I’m fortunate to have health insurance and access to high-quality …

Elizabeth Warren unveils new plan to make childbirth safer for African American women
5 years, 11 months ago

Elizabeth Warren unveils new plan to make childbirth safer for African American women

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors …

Kamala Harris and other Democrats point to racial gap in care of pregnant black women
5 years, 11 months ago

Kamala Harris and other Democrats point to racial gap in care of pregnant black women

LA Times  

Tamara King was 28 weeks pregnant when a blinding headache took hold. Black women are a vital Democratic voting bloc, especially in South Carolina, an early presidential primary state that ranks among the 10 worst in the nation for deaths among pregnant women. On Tuesday, two congressional Democrats launched a “Black Maternal Health Caucus.” Naida Rutherford, 38, was 28 weeks …

What’s killing pregnant black women in the US?
6 years, 1 month ago

What’s killing pregnant black women in the US?

Al Jazeera  

Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes in the US than their white counterparts. … She was my primary concern, I was doing my best to assure her everything would be okay even when I wasn’t sure that was the case.” Charles Johnson IV’s wife Kira Johnson died on April 13, 2016 — …

Even Famous And Successful Black Women Can Encounter Serious Pregnancy Complications
6 years, 7 months ago

Even Famous And Successful Black Women Can Encounter Serious Pregnancy Complications

NPR  

Even Famous And Successful Black Women Can Encounter Serious Pregnancy Complications NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, president and dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine, about the fact that black mothers have a higher mortality rate than white mothers. Now, two recent high-profile stories have shown that serious complications in pregnancy and childbirth can even affect …

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