Tackle maternal health disparities, mortality with data and better care

[Jilly_in_VA]

2. Don't get me wrong

I am aware of the racial disparities. I wanted to be a midwife and am thrilled to see that the profession has come this far since the 1980s when I gave up my quest (way too early, but...long story). At the time the nearest program was at an HBCU 250 miles away and I would have had to stay through the week. I had school age children and my late ex put his foot down on both counts. But I did see large disparities in how the middle class and poor white women in our area were treated when it came to maternity care. Many of the poor women (black and white), if they got any maternity care at all, got it at the local health dept., then came to the hospital in labor and it was the luck of the draw who delivered the babies. Some of the docs were far less than thrilled to deliver the Medicaid or no-insurance moms, I can tell you. I had to attend any births where the mom had no prenatal care if they happened on my shift so I got to see that.