Black Maternal Health: My Lived Experience

This week marked the beginning of Black Maternal Health Week. This week highlights the reality that Black women face in perinatal health disparities and the ongoing efforts to provide better health outcomes for Black moms. A disproportionate number Black moms in this country lose their lives during or after childbirth, and a little over a year ago I was almost one of them.

My Story

I birthed a beautiful, healthy baby girl in January 2024 and spent less than a week at home with her before I was readmitted to the hospital with a blood pressure reading of 208/110, a splitting headache, and blurred vision. All tell-tale signs that I was in hypertensive crisis with postpartum preeclampsia and on the verge of a potentially fatal stroke. But I was lucky, with the help of my doctors and nurses I was out of the hospital after about 2 weeks and was able to begin what would ultimately be 6 months of recovery at home with my baby. As traumatizing as this experience was for me, I can recognize that I was lucky, and unfortunately many Black moms are not this lucky.

Black moms are three times more likely to die from complications during childbirth than white moms and these are oftentimes preventable deaths. This is an alarming health disparity that is seen across location and socioeconomic status. The driving forces behind the maternal health disparity are implicit bias, delayed care, and dismissal of patient’s concerns. Black women experience race-based traumatic stress, chronic stress, and racial battle fatigue and higher rates than others. This is all to say that the daily toll of racism can weigh so heavily on Black women that it can cause hypertensive crisis (a life-threatening emergency in pregnancy and childbirth).

This is not an unfamiliar story. Public health researchers, counselors, physicians, social workers will tell you that stress and other social determinants of health have a very real impact on the quality of life and even the lifespan. But there are things that we can do to turn this story around.

1. Learn: Those of us in the helping professions (especially physicians) can work on their implicit bias (we all have them!). Ask yourself what initial reactions come up when you see a Black pregnant woman? What narratives do you create about her? Maybe consider taking the implicit bias test

2. Uplift: Black organizations like Black Mommas Matter, licensed Black midwives and doulas, Black OBGYNs, and Black perinatal therapists

3. Advocate: Support political efforts like the Momnibus Act to close the maternal health gap

   
   

Helping Ourselves

Black motherhood is beautiful. Even though there are very real challenges that exist, Black

moms can thrive. In my work as a therapist, one of my core beliefs for every individual that I

work with is that with the right supports, they have the power to heal themselves. I think this can extend to many different aspects of our health and wellbeing. When it comes to Black moms facing these health disparities, there are two things we need to insure

1. Having the right supports and

2. Being empowered to heal ourselves.

This can look like having culturally affirming care, leaning into your community, and seeking out supports that uplift Black motherhood. When it comes to empowering ourselves, know that you can and should trust your gut - don’t be afraid to speak up and advocate for your needs by trusting your intuition. This goes for both our physical health and mental health. It’s been a year since I had my baby and my own experience has only reinforced my belief that when Black moms are supported and empowered, wellness is not only possible, it is inevitable.