LeoPatrizi/Getty Images(NEW YORK) April 11-17, 2022, is Black Maternal Health Week, a time to put a spotlight on and have a national conversation about Black maternal health in the U.S., according to Black Mamas Matter Alliance, a nonprofit organization that founded the initiative five years ago. Naomi, a 37-year-old Black woman from Portland, Oregon, will have a doula by her side when she gives birth to her seventh child, a daughter, later this month. By using a doula a trained professional who provides support to moms before, during and after childbirth Naomi is part of a growing trend of Black women who see having a doula, particularly a Black doula, as a potentially lifesaving advocate during birth. "I know the intensity of what's happening can lead to a lot of complications," Naomi, who asked that only her first name be used, told Good Morning America. "When you're tapped out because you're having contractions that take your breath away, you wan
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Black women in the U.S. are more likely to die in childbirth than other races.
• 16 min read
How maternal medical disparities affect women of color
Plus, how the Department of Health and Human Services hopes to improve care within the next five years.iStock, ABC News Photo Illustration
April 11-17, 2021, is Black Maternal Health Week, a time to put a spotlight on and have a national conversation about Black maternal health in the U.S., according to Black Mamas Matter Alliance, a nonprofit organization that founded the initiative four years ago.