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Fear should never be part of the childbirth experience. Unfortunately, many Black women express deep fears about maternal health. @Dr. Juan Michelle Martin, PT, DPT during our Bridging the Gap webinar revealed that some Black women she works with tell her: “I’m getting a doula because I don’t want to die.” This heartbreaking reality highlights the urgent need for better maternal care and doula support. Doulas help mitigate this fear by providing continuous emotional and physical support throughout pregnancy and birth, empowering women to feel safe and supported. As Dr. Martin shared, doulas are often the only advocates some women have during birth, helping to improve outcomes and reduce the need for unnecessary medical interventions, such as cesarean sections. 💡 Help us empower women with the care they deserve. Support our mission to provide education and access to maternal health services: buff.ly/3C0kJ2o Join us for our next Bridging The Gap session tomorrow with @Bridget Ochuko, PT, DPT, MPH as she discusses the accessibility of PFPT from her perspective as a recent graduate. When you register, you'll get access to our last two sessions live and recordings of our previous sessions. Register --> https://buff.ly/4d7ZJ6D #BlackMaternalHealth #DoulaCare #WomensHealth #BridgingTheGap #MaternalHealthEquity

I was having a chat with my good friend Chris today and something truly shocking but all too real emerged. He recently traveled to the villages of Turkana, where he trained new and teen mothers on essential newborn care and pregnancy best practices. What he witnessed there was a brute reminder of the severe gaps in maternity care in Kenya - and I guess many other parts of Africa and the world! In the remote regions of Turkana, expectant mothers face a harrowing reality that is difficult to fathom. Picture this: a labor room crafted from nothing more than grass, with no roof to shield against the harsh elements, and a bare, mud floor. This is not a scene from an old story but a present-day struggle for women who are about to bring new life into the world. There is no running water, no emergency equipment, no basic amenities to ensure their safety during one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Contrast this with the 'ideal' labor room as recommended by the World Health Organization. A properly equipped labor room should have clean, sterile environments, essential medical supplies, access to emergency care, and trained staff ready to handle complications. It should be a sanctuary of care where both mother and child can be assured of #safety and #dignity. The disparity between these two realities is heartbreaking. In Turkana, women face an overwhelming risk every time they go into labor. Without #access to proper facilities, they are left to navigate a perilous journey without the critical support they need. This is not just a local issue; it is a global challenge that reflects a profound #inequity in healthcare. Why is this acceptable? Why are expectant mothers in one part of the world met with such dire conditions, while in other places, advanced healthcare is a given? The answer lies in our collective responsibility to prioritize women's health and ensure that every mother-to-be has access to safe, compassionate, and well-equipped maternity care. WE MUST ACT NOW! 1. Advocate for investment in maternal health infrastructure. 2. Support organizations working to improve conditions, and 3. Demand that every government agency and healthcare provider recognizes the urgency of this issue. No woman should have to face childbirth in a makeshift room devoid of the essentials for survival and care. Let us unite to close this gap and ensure that every expectant mother, regardless of her location, receives the care she deserves. Because every #life matters, and every mother deserves a #safe and #dignified journey into #motherhood. 😔 #MaternalHealth

The 2024 MBRRACE-UK report highlights a concerning disparity in maternal mortality rates, showing that women from Black ethnic backgrounds are nearly three times more likely to die during or shortly after pregnancy compared to White women. Women from Asian ethnic backgrounds face nearly twice the risk. These statistics underscore the urgent need for systemic changes in healthcare to address racial inequalities and improve maternal outcomes for all women. It’s crucial that healthcare providers, policymakers, and communities work together to tackle these disparities by ensuring culturally sensitive care, improving access to resources, and raising awareness of the unique challenges faced by women from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Listening to these women matter #DiverseCommunity #Maternity #Childbirth #PersonalisedCare #CulturallyCompetence Healthwatch England NHS Race & Health Observatory Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust The Motherhood Group Healthwatch Reading Five X More

This #BlackMaternalHealthWeek ➡️ Jen, a labor nurse, shares a powerful truth: Black women face a different reality in childbirth. Why? Implicit bias and systemic disparities lead to: *Higher risk: Black women are 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women, often due to unconscious bias in healthcare. *Unequal access: Quality prenatal care, pain management, and postpartum support are harder to find in Black communities. We can change this. Here's what YOU can do: *Educate yourself: Learn about disparities & share resources. *Demand action: Contact your congressional delegation and demand that they support the #MomnibusAct #HopeCollectiveInc #blackmaternalhealthweek #BIPOC #HealthEquity #RuralHealth #Equity

🚨 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟖.𝟕𝟐% 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐛-𝐒𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲, 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐦? 🚨 Despite maternal and neonatal care's life-saving potential, over 80% of women still face challenges in receiving comprehensive maternal services. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝟑𝟖% 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟕.𝟓%. Wealth, education, and urban residence are the top factors associated with increased care access. 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝟏.𝟔𝟖𝐱 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝟐.𝟔𝟗𝐱 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧. We must advocate for equitable access and address these socio-demographic gaps to save lives. What are we waiting for? 🌍 Mullu Getachew Frezer Abebe ROBERA OLANA FITE kassahun alemu Lisanu Taddesse Delayehu Bekele Getachew Tolera Alemnesh Hailemariam Mirkuzie Luchuo Engelbert Bain #MaternalHealth #HealthcareAccess #SubSaharanAfrica #ContinuumOfCare #WomenEmpowerment #HealthEquity #MaternalMortality #PublicHealth #HealthcareForAll #SDGs #GlobalHealth

https://lnkd.in/gtzs7-sr 🌸 Redefining Maternal Care: Prioritizing Mental Health & Advocacy 🌸 We're seeing an incredible shift in how doulas are redefining their care for new moms. More and more doulas are choosing to include Griö bottles in their maternity kits—not just as a feeding tool, but as a system that supports mental health and maternal advocacy in innovative ways. For decades, mothers have faced lofty expectations about feeding and care, often at the expense of their mental health. But doulas are leading the charge to change this narrative, focusing on emotional well-being and creating space for feeding routines—whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding—that work for each unique family. Here’s where Griö fits into this transformation: 🍼 Our bottles are more than feeding tools; they’re part of a patented system designed to enhance the bond between parents and babies while supporting early cognitive development. 💡 Validated by healthcare professionals—including lactation consultants, OTs, and doulas—Griö is bridging the gap between traditional feeding methods and innovative health tech solutions. 🤝 Aligned with maternal health advocacy, Griö is a proud sponsor of the MOMS Tour, partnering with organizations like Black Mamas ATX to support moms in underserved communities. By working with birth workers who are prioritizing mental health and advocating for maternal care innovation, Griö is honored to play a small but impactful role in improving population health outcomes. This work is rooted in a passion for ensuring mothers have the support they need to thrive. 📢 If you’re a doula or a healthcare provider interested in tools that empower moms and babies, let’s connect! Together, we can rewrite the story of maternal care and create a future where mental health is never an afterthought. #MaternalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #Innovation #DoulaCare #PopulationHealth #Femtech #

The healthy future of society depends on the health of today's children and their mothers, who are guardians of that future. Every year, globally, 529,000 girls and women die in childbirth. Over 300 million women worldwide suffer from either short or long-term complications arising from pregnancy or childbirth, with around 20 million new cases every year. Most of these deaths and disabilities are preventable. These figures speak to the core of the HeraMED mission, and it’s why we do what we do. https://lnkd.in/g9CxqTdD 

New research from our National Centre for Maternity Improvement shows Black and Brown women and birthing people, and women and birthing people from deprived backgrounds are more likely to give birth early. This research looked at 1.3 million births across 130 NHS Trusts between 2013 - 2017. It showed higher rates of premature birth for those in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas of England. It also found premature birth rates for Black women and birthing people were higher than for White women and birthing people. The premature birth rate also varied depending on ethnicity within Trusts, with premature birth rates lower in White women than in Black and Asian women. The reasons for these differences in premature birth rates aren't fully understood. But, socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities are likely to play a role, alongside how care is being delivered to women and birthing people in individual NHS Trusts. Read more about the study here: https://bit.ly/4erwhdi

According to Carrot Fertility's 2024 Maternal Health in the Workplace report, only 39% of women feel prepared when returning to work after maternity leave, and just 38% felt ready for the postpartum stage. The biggest challenge? A lack of adequate support from family and friends during the postpartum period was cited as a top concern. At Cradle and Coos, we’ve invested time and care into envisioning the ideal support system for parents (where family support is insufficient), and we believe the answer has to be highly customized—because no two families' needs are the same. In the past, creating such tailored support would have been nearly impossible, but now, with the power of AI, we can make it a reality. AI agents allow us to deliver a truly personalized experience for each family, filling in the gaps with in-person assistance like doula care when needed. We're excited about this future and dedicated to helping parents feel ready and supported in the transition to parenthood. #postpartumcare #parentalbenefits #FamilyAI

🤰 Every woman deserves a safe and respectful experience during one of life's most significant moments—childbirth. Recent findings highlight concerns in labor care, where substandard practices or disrespectful treatment can deeply impact women's dignity and well-being. It's crucial to address behaviors, attitudes, and systemic issues contributing to these experiences. 🤝 Let's foster a culture of trust, mutual understanding, and collaboration among healthcare professionals, societies, and patient organisations. Together, we can uphold the highest standards of care, ensuring every mother's right to informed, respectful, and best-practice care is honored. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dssht8NZ 👉 https://lnkd.in/d_H6j2VH #RespectInChildbirth #SafeMotherhood #PositiveBirthExperience