Did you know that America’s maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the developed world? They are exceptionally high among Black mothers, who die from complications related to pregnancy at roughly two to three times the rate of white, Hispanic, Asian American, and Pacific Islander women — regardless of their income or education levels. This prompted President Biden and Vice President Harris to proclaim April 11 through April 17, 2021, as “Black Maternal Health Week.”
Black Maternal Health
Though today is the last day of Black Maternal Health Week, we are aware every day. In the words of President Biden, this designated week is his call on all Americans to recognize the importance of addressing the crisis of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in this country. The Biden Harris administration’s goal is to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States by shedding light on “the consequences of systemic discrimination, recognizing the scope of this problem and the need for urgent solutions, amplifying the voices and experiences of Black women, families, and communities, and committing to building a world in which Black women do not have to fear for their safety, their wellbeing, their dignity, and their lives before, during, and after pregnancy.”
Every Experience is Different
From first-hand, pregnancy is the most joyous and yet uncertain journey I’ve experienced. From the moment I realized I was pregnant, there was excitement! I have yet to physically have a child of my own, but I imagine this feeling lingers into the postpartum phase. If I have yet to learn anything in my short span of pregnancy, there isn’t a “clearance” phase. Just because things check out well at your first ultrasound means nothing; every day is a checkpoint or a milestone conquered.
As much as we pray for our unborn child(ren) to be healthy and normal, every mother doesn’t receive that stress-relieving news that all is well. Every mother doesn’t leave the darkened ultrasound room with light for a tomorrow. Not all mothers are presented with the same options as the next. Every mother isn’t anxiously waiting with anticipation for their next exam. Every mother’s concerns aren’t being addressed.
The truth is, if the odds of winning the lottery rested on the percentage of you having an abnormality or complication in your pregnancy, you’d win every time. For those black mothers whose perspective of “the odds of” has changed, I stand with you. I know what it feels like to regret telling “the world” that you are expecting. The nights I prayed and cried and cried and prayed are still vivid. I cherish the daily anointings my husband and I performed in Christ’s name because it strengthened us spiritually as one. I sense the uneasiness. Not knowing if your race has anything to do with the words left unsaid, if any, by a provider leaves you pondering, “What am I not asking that I should?”
Educate Yourself
It helps me to educate myself and know my rights as a black mother to be. My husband and I desire to see Justice and myself return home, and I am there to help raise her. That same energy you exhort as you demand action to be taken when a restaurant doesn’t get your meal right is the same energy you should provoke for maternity health care. Use your voice and advocate for yourself and your unborn child. Press if you want to move forward, even when the only option presented to you early on is termination.
We are these babies’ carriers. We are their lifeline. They are counting on us to create the kind of environment that is beneficial for their growth. Therefore if you want a second opinion get a second option. If you desire to change doctor offices in your third trimester, change offices. Do what you need to do to ensure your safety, protect your rights, and get the best care for you and your baby(s).
You owe you! Your child needs you, and so do we!
Xoxo,
A soon-to-be Black Mother
