During her first pregnancy, Celina Martin had more concerns than just the delivery process. “I’ve often been dismissed, usually because of my age or lack of education,” Martin shared with CBS News. “Even just for asking too many questions, I’ve been dismissed. There’s already a lack of trust in the system.” This lack of trust is a common experience among Black women, according to Ky Lindberg, the CEO of the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia. While there is a history of mistrust, Lindberg believes that the most important thing doctors can do is listen.
“We like to think that we’ve moved beyond our dark past, right?” Lindberg said. “But injustice still exists for marginalized populations, particularly Black and Brown individuals in this country. As a Black person, specifically a Black mother, it’s all about the belief that I am enough, that I am a person who matters and whose voice matters. I feel the pain you do. I want success for my children, just like you do.”
Recent attention has been brought to the healthcare disparity faced by Black American mothers after the news broke that Olympic track star Tori Bowie died due to complications during childbirth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women have the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States, which is almost three times higher than the rate for White women. In fact, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries.
Georgia, in particular, has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality. Lindberg is actively working to improve outcomes in the area by ensuring that individuals giving birth have access to doulas and advocating for legislation that reduces financial barriers to doula care. “When we talk to families, we often hear that they want a doula so they don’t die,” Lindberg explained. “It’s not just about having support for a healthy pregnancy, but it’s also about being scared and needing that bridge between the patient and community resources.”
The CDC has found that implicit bias and institutional racism contribute to the rising number of Black women dying before and after childbirth. The maternal mortality rate has little to do with socioeconomic status, as a recent study in California discovered that even the richest Black mothers and their babies are twice as likely to die compared to the richest White mothers and their babies. Even Serena Williams, a renowned athlete, experienced trauma during childbirth when her concerns about a pulmonary embolism were dismissed by doctors. She was later diagnosed with the life-threatening condition.
These situations highlight the need for advocates for women of color during and after pregnancy and labor. Research has shown that working with doulas decreases the likelihood of preterm delivery, low birthweight, and postpartum depression. However, doulas are just one part of the solution. “Doulas are not the answer to this maternal health crisis,” said certified doula Chanel Stryker-Boykin. “The answer lies in systemic reform.”
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