Decolonize Birth

Decolonize Birth
Removing Financial Barriers

Across the Unites States, Black birthing people and their babies suffer racial health disparities in pregnancy and childbirth. The statistics in mortality and morbidity are shocking:

Black birthing people are 3-6 times more likely to die from pregnancy and/or birth related complications than white birthing people
Black birthing people experience 22 of 25 major pregnancy complications at a rate that is higher than any other race
Black birthing people are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to suffer a stillbirth than white birthing people
Black birthing people are 60% more likely to have a preterm baby than white birthing people
Black babies are 2 times more likely to die within the first year of life than white babies
Black birthing people are more likely to report experiencing obstetric violence, discrimination, not being listened to, not being treated for pain or other symptoms, lack of access to care, and a poor/traumatic birth experience
Queer and Trans Black birthing people are more likely to report obstetric violence, discrimination based on gender-identity or sexuality, not being treated for pain or other symptoms, not being listened to, lack of access to care, trauma, and flat out refusal to provide treatment or care based on gender-identity than cisgender, heterosexual birthing people.

Preliminary reports show that these statistics do not hold true for community birth, and that Black midwives are an extremely viable solution to reducing racial health disparities. Unfortunately, the racial disparities that exist in nearly every facet of American life exist within midwifery education and home birth access as well:

1/3 of midwives report that 95% or more of their client base is white
Less than 5% of home birth midwives in the United States are Black due to extensive barriers in accessing education, safe training opportunities, the colonization of midwifery credentialing and licensing, and abusive clinical sites

Minnesota is one of the worst states in the entire country for racial disparities in healthcare, education, income, housing, economic advantage, business ownership, high-level professions, and more:

There are 3 Black out-of-hospital midwives in Minnesota; 2 practicing in birth centers, and 1 home birth midwife
There is only 1 Black-owned home birth practice in the entire state of Minnesota

In addition, in the time of COVID-19, the Black community is one of the hardest hit communities. This, coupled with the inability to access alternatives to in-hospital care, greatly increases the risk of COVID for the birthing person, partner, and baby.

-Midwife Britt of Metro Midwifery

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Decolonize BirthRemoving Financial Barriers

Decolonize Birth
Removing Financial Barriers