May is maternal health awareness month in the U.S., and one organization in Johnston County is working to raise awareness for some
marginalized communities.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and
Human Services (NC DHHS), North Carolina ranks as the 10th-highest state for
infant mortality deaths. However, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] data found that certain communities were
impacted by this more than others.

A 2023 report from the NCDHHS found that Black and American
Indian children have a higher mortality rate than any other ethnic group.

“When we think about the implicit bias that’s out there,
that people are treated differently based on what they look like, these things
have been happening for a very long time,” said Jacqueline McMillan Bohler,
associate dean at Duke University School of Nursing.

That same study found that Black women are three times more
likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Health experts
are calling for change.

The Johnston County alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Incorporated, hosted a discussion sharing this information and
resources about Black maternal health as part of a weeklong event “fueling
minds and uplifting the community.”

“We do our best to try to spread awareness in our community
on this subject,” said chapter President Tedra Fair.

During the discussion, panelists McMillan Bohler and Stephane DeVane-Johnson, an associate professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, shared additional data from the CDC, including a recent
study that found hundreds of people die in childbirth each year. The study also found that
over 80% of those deaths could have been prevented.

“These numbers aren’t new,” DeVane-Johnson said. 

WRAL News asked how these numbers come about, and experts at the event said part of it comes from the education system.  

“Historically, the Black
woman’s body was used as an experiment,” said birth doula Jakisha Elliot.

In fact, in the WRAL documentary “Critical Term: Why are
Black mothers and babies dying?” reports found that modern health textbooks
were teaching students “racist stereotypes in teachings.”

“They’ve been fed through the education system, through really the world and everything that’s in it,” McMillan Bohler said. “So, what we’re doing is really educating people to the fact that there are implicit biases that happen, so we can mitigate them.”

WRAL News asked how Black women can best protect and prepare
themselves ahead of giving birth. Both McMillan Bohler and DeVane-Johnson
advised researching your health care provider beforehand and know there are
resources available to them.

Both McMillan Bohler and DeVane-Johnson shared resources for
families interested in birthing doulas and midwives, they also advised women
not to be afraid to advocate for themselves.

“The only way positive change
is going to happen in the area of maternal mortality is that we have
communities that really understand the issue and are willing to speak out
to advocate for themselves and advocate for the birthing people in their
communities,” McMillan Johnson said.

Experts also said more representation is needed in the health care industry, along with training on working with different cultures.

“More Black nurses, more
Black nurse midwives, more Black nurse practitioners, more Black
physicians, more Black pediatricians, more Black doulas, more Black
lactation consultants,” DeVane-Johnson said. “We need all aspects of healthcare and
representation so that we can go out and serve a population that looks
like us.”

Elliot also advised all people to reach out to their local legislators.

“Legislation plays a huge role in maternal healthcare,”
Elliot said. “Some states and some health insurances are running pilot programs where doula services and midwifery services are covered, but not all states do that.”

She said talking to their elected officials could make a huge difference. But above all, they advised being hopeful for the future.

“We realize we have the statistics now, and my prayer and
everything is that in 10 to 15 years from now, we see a decrease in the number
of Black mamas and Black babies that are dying,” DeVane-Johnson said.