In my women’s health elective over the summer, we were required to write a paper and create a presentation on a relevant topic of our choice. I chose preeclampsia in Black and African American women. Serena Williams, Beyoncé, and even my own mother are Black women that have been affected by this health disparity.
In the future, more studies addressing underlying risk factors and etiologies of preeclampsia, combined with identification of preeclampsia-specific biomarkers allowing early detection and intervention, will significantly improve the clinical management of this devastating disease.
As a Black woman, just knowing that I have a higher chance of dying or enduring complications during a pregnancy based on the color of my skin is terrifying. Black maternal health matters, and more time, effort, and resources need to be utilized to help mitigate this disparity.
The “why” behind higher incidences of preeclampsia and Black maternal complications in general must be fully understood for this to happen. According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, some ways to improve black maternal health include but are not limited to: expanding and maintaining access to health coverage, providing patient-centered care that is responsive to the needs of black women, addressing the social determinants of health, expanding paid family and medical leave, providing patient-centered and comprehensive reproductive healthcare, expanding and protecting access to trusted community providers, expanding protections for pregnant workers, and investing in healthcare safety and quality improvement initiatives. If we as black women choose to start a family, we deserve to have safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth experiences.
Bottom line: LISTEN TO BLACK WOMEN’S HEALTH CONCERNS!
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