TULSA, Okla. — Family members are mourning the loss of a three-time Olympic medalist who died from complications related to childbirth. NBC News reports 32-year-old Tori Bowie was 8 months pregnant and undergoing labor when she died.
In Oklahoma, The Tulsa Birth Equity Initiativesays black and native women are more than two times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. It’s a problem they’re working to address.
“A lot of times when it happens to people who have the spotlight for a moment, it makes people stop and pause, but this is something that is happening day after day,” said Executive Director of the Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative, Omare Jimmerson.
Omare Jimmerson runs the Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative. It’s focused on making sure families have healthy births with dignity and reducing the maternal disparities in our community. One of those troubling disparities is the disproportionate number of black women who die during childbirth.
“There are a number of things that cause this to happen, but basically it’s the system in which we live in and bias that we’re all naturally ingrained with,” said Jimmerson.
Jimmerson says providers shouldn’t make assumptions about women just based on their race.
“We all have bias,” said Jimmerson. “We all make assumptions. It’s just when a black woman walks into a provider room not saying she automatically has high blood pressure, or she can take pain more than other women.”
One of the ways the Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative helps women in our community have healthy pregnancies is by offering free doula services to black women, native women, teen moms, women who are navigating substance abuse and women navigating the justice system.
“Having continuous support does play a role in reducing maternal health disparities,” said Ashlee Wilson.
Ashlee Wilson has been a community-based doula for 3.5 years.
“Definitely knowing that with the maternal mortality rate specifically with black women it is definitely very important to be able to have that extra support person,” said Wilson.
She teaches women all about pregnancy, the stages of labor, and most importantly how to be their own advocate.
“When you have a feeling that something is off or something is wrong that you really need to speak up for yourself and if you don’t feel like you’re being heard, you keep speaking up for yourself until you are heard,” said Wilson.
Wilson points out, doulas are not midwives. Midwives do the clinical aspect of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Doulas are there for additional physical and emotional support and education.
“What we really like to do is educate and make sure that they’re confident in their won voices and advocate for themselves,” said Wilson.
If you’d like to learn more about the programs Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative offers, and if you qualify visit here.
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