Pregnancy is a beautiful time in a woman’s life. Being able to create life and give birth to a healthy child is truly a blessing, as some women & couples are not able to naturally conceive. Often times, when a celebrity or acquaintance reveals to the world that they are pregnant, people will say things like, “Everybody is pregnant!”, “It’s baby season”, or “there’s something in the water!”. Although these comments can be funny, and not at all meant maliciously, I think this sentiment downplays the miracle that conception and childbirth really are. Each healthy child born should be regarded as a miracle, if not only for the fact that it is a new life but for the ever-present danger women, especially black women, face during pregnancy and childbirth.
After having my first child, and now in the third trimester of my second pregnancy, the dark side of the pregnancy experience is a reality to me that I never expected. No one talks about the rounds of testing pregnant women go through for genetic and physical defects their unborn child may face. In the midst of planning baby showers & stocking up on diapers, we are bombarded with words like down syndrome, trisomy 13, spina bifida & other unforeseen conditions we are to be tested for. This is nerve-wracking enough but it gets much worse, especially for black women.
It’s true for all women that pregnancy poses tremendous health risks for mother and child, but for some more than others. As the statistics of SIDS, the rates for maternal mortality rates and overall pregnancy complications is higher in the black community than any other racial group in the US. According to the CDC, black women are more than twice as likely to die in childbirth or of pregnancy complications than any other racial group. But unlike cases of SIDS, education is not the primary culprit for these disparaging numbers. Simply put, it’s racism.
Obviously, a healthy pregnancy starts with a healthy body and lifestyle before conception. Diet and water intake are crucial, along with taking a daily vitamin and being diligent about prenatal care appointments. But just because you eat well does not always ensure a smooth pregnancy, as some complications can develop regardless. No matter the cause, every pregnant woman deserves access to doctors who can and will diagnose and treat any complications that may arise so that she can have a smooth pregnancy and delivery. So what is happening in the doctor’s office that is leading to the death of black pregnant women?
You can simply google “Black women Maternal mortality rate” and you will be presented with plenty of articles detailing accounts of women whose symptoms of pain have been ignored by their healthcare providers, to the detriment of their unborn children and sometimes themselves. It’s no secret that some medical professionals hold a racist or sexist bias toward women of color and their pain thresholds. In an August 2018 CBS interview titled At risk: mothers and childbirth, Harvard medical professor Neel Shah outright says, “We believe black women less when they express concerns about the type of symptoms they are having, particularly when it comes to pain.”
If that doesn’t convince you that there is truly an underlying issue with our healthcare system just ask the women around you about their experiences. I did.
Two women very close to me recently had horrible experiences while pregnant, and both were healthy prior to becoming pregnant. The first woman, who was pregnant with twins, consistently complained of pain, headaches, being unable to eat, sleep or move, to her doctors for weeks. In return, she had her calls unanswered or not returned and was told during visits that it was just normal pregnancy pain, even when her blood pressure came back high during a second trimester check up. It was not until mid-way through her third trimester and hours after being admitted to the ER that she was told she actually had preeclampsia. At 33 weeks, she was rushed to the operating room to deliver her twins via emergency c-section. Due to her pains and illnesses being downplayed and outright ignored her life became a nightmare. Thankfully the twins and their mother survived but this neglect could have cost them their lives. Preeclampsia and preterm birth are dangerous, yet common complications pregnant women face. What is most startling is that black babies make up about 15% of all births, yet they make of 35% of all Preterm births (delivering before 37 weeks). Her doctors should have been on high alert and handled this situation way before it resulted in her twins being prematurely born and her life threatened. The second story I heard while researching this topic, unfortunately, did not turn out this well. It again involved her OBGYN not taking her concerns seriously. When she complained of extreme lower back pain and low fetal movement the doctor chalked it up as “normal pregnancy pain” and told her to take more Tylenol. Despite her having a history of blood clots and an excess amount of amniotic fluid in her system, the doctor did not feel the need to order an emergency ultrasound or any other tests to ensure that there was no issue. His malpractice lead to the death of this woman’s unborn child and emotional scars that will stay with this mother for life.
Both of these women had access to medical care from the outset of their pregnancies. In fact, they were seen at the best hospitals in Chicago. Both of these women were college educated and employed, in healthy relationships and living situations. As if we didn’t already know after hearing their traumatic birth story of Serena Williams, this further proves that these situations happen across the board, not just to the poor and uneducated.
After being presented with all of this information it is easy to feel paranoid and helpless. I, for one, feel a bit of anxiety as I approach my delivery as no one can be sure of what will happen on that day. Physically and emotionally a lot is at stake, so thinking a doctor or nurse’s racial bias may negatively affect the outcome of your delivery is nerve-wracking. From the stories, I have heard, and the research I’ve done, I have come up with a short list of things that may help other pregnant women in a time of need.
For one, if you get a bad vibe from your current physician, change doctors as soon as possible. There is no reason to be loyal to a doctor if you can get better care at another office. Also, pay attention to your body. If you have a gut feeling that something is wrong based on your symptoms but you feel ignored, stand up for yourself and ensure that your concerns are thoroughly looked into. In addition to that, if you are feeling really bad go to the ER or an Urgent Care Center. It is better to be safe than sorry when pregnancy is involved. If you feel abnormal symptoms like severe headaches, and sensitivity to light it could be a sign of a bigger problem. Don’t just suffer in silence. Get the help you need asap! And finally, research and consider hiring a doula to work with you in conjunction with a medical doctor. These men and women, although not medical professionals, are experienced in child birthing and can offer additional help and support throughout your pregnancy and afterward. Hopefully, in the years to come, there will be improvements to the healthcare system in America across the board and maternal mortality rates in and out of the black community will improve.
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