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A network of Pittsburgh-area organizations and medical professionals are working to make childbirth safer for black mothers and their babies.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women.“It is a crisis for Black women and babies,” Healthy Start media and government relations manager Ashley Comans said.It’s a health crisis Healthy Start said is their mission to change. Comans said the nonprofit offers women of all socioeconomic backgrounds perinatal and postpartum support.“If you are talking about women and babies, we are here to make sure that they have access to good health care in their communities,” Comans said.Healthy Start is part of a network of organizations and medical professionals facilitated by Allegheny Health Network, called First Steps and Beyond.“We want to bring all these resources together and focus on making sure that all women, no matter what door they enter into, that they’re given the same quality care,” senior vice president and chief diversity officer for AHN, Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, said.Larkins-Pettigrew said this network seeks to lessen the staggering disparities women of color and their babies face.“Women who are of color, primarily African American, have an increased rate, three to four times risk of dying in childbirth, and two to three times risk of losing their babies in childbirth,” Larkins-Pettigrew said.She said there are several contributing factors.“One is obstetric racism. What happens to women who are not listened to? What happens when they’re in a hospital system, or even in a clinic setting, everyone who touches a mother in the city, what happens when decisions are made based on bias?” Larkins-Pettigrew said.According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, mothers are two times less likely to experience a birth complication involving themselves or their baby with a doula by their side.Comans knows this, having met her doula at Healthy Start.“We give the mom comfort of knowing that there’s someone with them to advocate for them and ensure that their birth plans are executed as best as they can be because we also know babies are going to do what they want when it’s time for them to enter the world, but the fact is the data is there. Having a doula is life-saving,” Comans said.
A network of Pittsburgh-area organizations and medical professionals are working to make childbirth safer for black mothers and their babies.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women.
“It is a crisis for Black women and babies,” Healthy Start media and government relations manager Ashley Comans said.
It’s a health crisis Healthy Start said is their mission to change. Comans said the nonprofit offers women of all socioeconomic backgrounds perinatal and postpartum support.
“If you are talking about women and babies, we are here to make sure that they have access to good health care in their communities,” Comans said.
Healthy Start is part of a network of organizations and medical professionals facilitated by Allegheny Health Network, called First Steps and Beyond.
“We want to bring all these resources together and focus on making sure that all women, no matter what door they enter into, that they’re given the same quality care,” senior vice president and chief diversity officer for AHN, Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, said.
Larkins-Pettigrew said this network seeks to lessen the staggering disparities women of color and their babies face.
“Women who are of color, primarily African American, have an increased rate, three to four times risk of dying in childbirth, and two to three times risk of losing their babies in childbirth,” Larkins-Pettigrew said.
She said there are several contributing factors.
“One is obstetric racism. What happens to women who are not listened to? What happens when they’re in a hospital system, or even in a clinic setting, everyone who touches a mother in the city, what happens when decisions are made based on bias?” Larkins-Pettigrew said.
According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, mothers are two times less likely to experience a birth complication involving themselves or their baby with a doula by their side.
Comans knows this, having met her doula at Healthy Start.
“We give the mom comfort of knowing that there’s someone with them to advocate for them and ensure that their birth plans are executed as best as they can be because we also know babies are going to do what they want when it’s time for them to enter the world, but the fact is the data is there. Having a doula is life-saving,” Comans said.
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