Black individuals face a 3 to 4 times higher rate of maternal mortality than their white counterparts. In this episode, medical students Kayla Schacher and Iqra Nadeem highlight the stories of Sha-Asia Washington, Amber Rose Isaac, and Shamony Gibson, three Black women who died during or shortly after giving birth, in order to illustrate the tragic impact of this disparity. They are joined by Christine Miller, a full-spectrum community doula and spiritual herbalist to discuss how doulas can support and advocate for people before, during, and after they give birth to help avoid tragedies like these.

Background on Racial Disparities in Maternal Mortality:

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Mortality in the United States Using Enhanced Vital Records, 2016‒2017 | AJPH | Vol. 111 Issue 9 (aphapublications.org)

Information about Momnibus Legislation:
Black Maternal Health Momnibus | Black Maternal Health Caucus (house.gov)
Tracking Progress of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus (tcf.org)

Information on our speaker, Christine Miller, and her work:

JustBirth Space

Beloved Birth Village
Ancient Song Doula Services