February 18th 2024.
A recent study has shed light on alarming statistics regarding the fears of Black women when it comes to receiving proper care during pregnancy and the possibility of dying due to complications. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill presented their findings on February 14th at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, revealing that Black women have a preference for seeing Black OB-GYNs.
The study involved 32 Black women between the ages of 27 and 34 who were interviewed and participated in focus groups. They were asked about their past experiences with obstetric care and how they felt about being treated by a white OB-GYN versus a Black one. Many of the participants shared that they had concerns about their pregnancies potentially resulting in death, as reported by NBC News.
One woman expressed her fear, saying, "I was so scared because I thought, I might die with this pregnancy. It was the first thought that came to my mind. Simply getting pregnant and deciding to have a child could end my life."
Unfortunately, these fears are not unfounded. According to data from the Center for Disease Control, the maternal mortality rate for Black women in 2021 was 2.6 times higher than that of white women. Additionally, nearly 75% of Black women have had negative experiences with their doctors, often due to their race. Some of these experiences included harmful racial stereotypes. One woman shared that her doctor once told her, "Abortion is an option, especially if you don't know who the father is. I'm sorry, am I supposed to be a single mother?"
Another woman recalled an incident where a nurse repeatedly asked her if she needed government assistance. She questioned the nurse, saying, "What about my profile makes you ask these questions? Are these standard questions or are you asking because I am Black?"
Given these troubling findings, it is not surprising that the women in the study expressed a preference for being treated by a Black OB-GYN. Dr. Nicole Teal, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at UC San Diego Health, explained, "Studies have shown that when providers and patients share the same race, it can lead to better outcomes in primary care, such as managing diabetes and hypertension, as well as improving patient trust and satisfaction."
Dr. Teal also shared that she has witnessed many Black women visibly relax and feel more at ease when treated by a Black physician. She described the change as, "Their shoulders relax, they sit back, and it's like, 'I'm going to be heard.' It's a feeling that is sometimes hard to describe."
These differences in treatment and trust can also have a significant impact on health outcomes, as Black patients not being taken seriously has been linked to adverse effects on a systemic level. Dr. Teal emphasized the importance of increasing the number of Black OB-GYN providers, including physicians and midwives, to address these issues.
In related news, there are plans for a group of Black OB-GYNs to come together in 2023 to address the unnecessary deaths of Black women. This is a crucial step towards addressing and rectifying the disparities and injustices faced by Black women in the medical field.
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