The impact of racial biases Racial bias in the medical community could be contributing to Black women dying at a more alarming rate. It is vital for Black moms to steadily advocate for themselves or have someone advocate for them, like a doula. When Black moms’ concerns are not taken seriously, it could be a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, that was the reality for famed Judge Glenda Hatchett’s daughter-in-law Kyira Dixon Johnson. She died from blood loss 12 hours after giving birth. After her scheduled cesarean section, nurses allegedly first noticed blood in her urine catheter. According to the lawsuit Johnson’s family filed, follow-up care was not adequately handled. A doctor ordered CT scans of her abdomen and pelvis due to her abdominal pain and blood loss, but the lawsuit states the scans were never carried out. A study by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America found nearly half of first and second year medical students believe Black people have thicker skin than white people
and perceived Black people experience less pain than white people. This ingrained and systemic idea stems from 19th century experiments that were performed by a doctor named Thomas Hamilton, a plantation owner who regularly tortured an enslaved Black man, creating blisters all over his body, in an attempt to prove Black skin was thicker than white skin. Another study published by The American Journal of Emergency Medicine found Black patients were 40 percent less likely to be prescribed medication for pain compared to their white counterparts, also underlining the racial bias that Black men and women do not feel pain as much as white people. This same bias, unfortunately, carries over in the pre- and postpartum world. Local mom Courtney Peyketewa said for her second pregnancy she noticed she had to be more adamant in speaking up for herself and being unwavering about her concerns during her pregnancy and after delivery. “I feel somewhat slighted because if I didn’t advocate or speak up, I would have been bullied into something I didn’t want,” said Peyketewa.
While Black moms and moms-to-be may be more comfortable seeking medical care from Black healthcare professionals, there are non- Black professionals who are also very much aware of and actively working against racial biases. Metro mom Taryn Sledge is expecting baby number three, and she says her medical care during her first two pregnancies was “horrible.” With her third pregnancy, she found a white doctor who has been vocal about her awareness of the statistics and biases Black women face. Her doctor wants to make sure she is taken care of throughout the entirety of her current pregnancy and after delivery. Finding support Every mother should have her own coach and cheerleader during pregnancy, delivery and upon arriving home. Pre- and postnatal doula care has been shown to improve health outcomes in women who utilize this service. A prenatal doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before,
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