Black Maternity and the Dangers of Women's Healthcare

When you think of the concept of motherhood, most people would feel a sense of joy, resilience, and bravery. The sleepless nights, bodily pain, and mental inconsistency all become worth it when you hold your baby in your arms, right? A selfless act, bringing another life into this world, can be much smoother than others depending on your race, class, sexuality, and other intersecting parts of your identity. Unfortunately, for a woman to be pregnant and give birth, it sometimes takes a village for the pregnancy to run smoothly. So many women who do not have access to proper healthcare end up suffering at the hands of malpractitioner doctors, and a lack of resources. The first story that comes to mind, was the young 26 year old woman by the name of Amber Rose Isaac.

During the year of 2020 when COVID-19 was in its full swing and hospitals were packed to the brim, a young Black woman from The Bronx by the name of Amber Rose Isaac was about to give birth. She tweeted, “Can’t wait to write a tell-all about my experience during my last two trimesters dealing with incompetent doctors at Montefiore.” Isaac then passed away during childbirth while having a last minute C-Section just 3 days later. Her partner expressed that her unfortunate death was a result of negligence, racial inequality, and a lack of resources for Black mothers. That experience was not an anomaly.

As someone who was born and raised in The Bronx and has visited that exact hospital multiple times, this story hit close to home and broke my heart. To see a young black woman a few years older than me pass away while birthing her child, deeply resonated in my spirit. She could have been my friend, my family member, or my neighbor. Upon hearing this tragedy, I could not help but wonder to myself and think, “Would this happen to a White woman?” The answer is, most likely not. Black mothers in the U.S. die at a rate three to four times higher than white women.” The mortality rate for Black women and their white counterparts face a large discrepancy due to the fact that there are still plenty of unconscious biases within the medical system. Believing whether or not a Black mother is truly in pain, and needing to treat that mother with the appropriate medical procedure, is unfortunately the reason why so many of these women lose their lives during childbirth.

The Hulu documentary Aftershock, follows the lives of several Black men as they navigate the emotional, mental, and physical hardships that come from losing your partner to the U.S. maternal healthcare system. In the film, they spotlight the partners of Shamony Gibson and Amber Rose Isaac, as they try to raise their newborn babies without their significant other. As the documentary progresses: more and more Black women are remembered for expressing their pain, discomfort, and need for medical care, as the hospital and doctors dismiss their symptoms as casual postpartum side effects. This devastating and heartbreaking epidemic has been the root of a sudden uproar where now families and partners are rallying about the crisis. Seeing a Bronx couple on my TV screen truly resonated with me, because they could have easily been a friend of mine. As the story unravels, and the documentary highlights men of color from different parts of the U.S., it’s clear to see that this is a systemic issue that needs to come to an end. Why is it that our parents, and our parents’ parents, had much better maternal care than we do in the year of 2022? Modern technology does not seem to support these Black and Brown families of color who are in dire need of medical attention. Women’s healthcare, specifically for minority women, needs to be taken seriously and handled with care. I believe a company like Casa de la Luna will fight to serve all different kinds of women– regardless of their race, ethnicity, class, or sexual orientation. This epidemic of women of color losing their lives during childbirth should not be happening in the year of 2022. We need Black and Brown mothers alive to raise and love their children, and fathers should not have to live with the heartbreak of loosing their partner during such a crucial and memorable time period.

To honor the life of Shamony Gibson and support transformative maternal health activism in her memory, please contribute to the ARIAH Foundation.

To honor the life of Amber Rose Issac and support transformative maternal health activism in her memory, please contribute to the Save a Rose Foundation.