Honoring Black Maternal Health Week: Centering Care, Advocacy, and Black Mothers’ Lives
- A.Rose NFP
- Apr 27
- 3 min read
Written by: Jasmine Prince, BA, MPH Candidate
She tells the nurse something doesn’t feel right.
Maybe it’s the pain.
Maybe it’s the swelling.
Maybe it’s just a feeling she can’t fully explain.
She’s tired, just had a baby, and everyone around her keeps saying it’s normal.
So she second-guesses herself.
She waits.
She tries not to make a big deal out of it.
But what if she was right the first time?
Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17) isn’t just another awareness week for me.
It’s personal.
As a mom, and as someone studying public health, I’ve learned that pregnancy and postpartum aren’t just “beautiful journeys.” For a lot of women, they can also be scary, overwhelming, and, honestly, unsafe in ways that don’t get talked about enough.
And that’s exactly why this week matters.
Let’s Talk About What’s Really Going On
You’ve probably heard the statistics before, but it still stops people in their tracks:
Black women in the US are about three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
Not because of income.
Not because of education.
Not because we “don’t take care of ourselves.”
This happens across the board.
And the hardest part? MOST of these deaths are PREVENTABLE.
So when we talk about Black Maternal Health, we’re not just talking about numbers. We’re talking about real women. Real families. Real babies growing up without their mothers.
So…Why Is This Happening?
There isn’t just one answer.
It’s a mix of things that stack on top of each other:
● Not being listened to when something feels wrong
● Pain or symptoms being dismissed
● Limited access to quality care before and after birth
● The mental and physical toll of constant stress
A lot of Black women go into birth already carrying the weight of having to advocate for themselves harder.
And when you’re in one of the most vulnerable moments of your life, that shouldn’t be the case.
It’s Not Just About Surviving
The goal shouldn’t just be for Black mothers to survive childbirth.
We deserve to feel safe.
We deserve to feel heard. We deserve to feel supported the entire way through.
That includes postpartum too, which, let’s be real, is a whole journey on its own.
Because bringing a baby home is one thing…but making sure mom is okay? That matters just as much.
What Actually Helps?
The good news is, there are people doing the work.
Community organizations, doulas, advocates, and healthcare providers are pushing for better care and better outcomes every day.
And honestly, some of the most powerful changes are simple:
● Listening to Black women the first time
● Taking concerns seriously
● Providing culturally respectful care
● Making support accessible, not just available
It sounds basic, but it makes a real difference.
Where We Come In
At A.Rose NFP, this is part of the bigger picture.
It’s about making sure women have access to information, support, and spaces where they feel seen, not dismissed.
It’s about community.
It’s about education.
It’s about showing up for women in ways that actually matter.
What You Can Do
You don’t have to work in healthcare to care about this.
You can:
● Have conversations about it
● Share resources
● Support organizations doing this work
● Believe Black women when they speak up on their experience (ESPECIALLY when it’s different than yours)
Small things add up.
This Doesn’t End After This Week
Black Maternal Health Week brings attention to the issue, but the need doesn’t go away after April 17th.
This is something that deserves attention all year.
Because every mom deserves to make it home safely.
Every time.
Sources & Further Reading
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