The Early Years

During her tenure as California’s Attorney General, Harris was a dedicated advocate for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). She recognized its potential to significantly expand healthcare access for millions of women and took decisive action to defend the ACA in court. Her efforts ensured that women could access essential health services without financial barriers. This commitment to women’s health laid a solid foundation for her career in the U.S. Senate and beyond.

Her Fight Against Fibroids

Harris’s focus on women’s health intensified as she transitioned to representing California in the U.S. Senate. One of her early legislative efforts was the introduction of the Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act in 2020. This bill was geared toward increasing funding for research and raising awareness about uterine fibroids, a condition that disproportionately affects our community.

Her Push for Affordable Healthcare

In 2019, Kamala Harris proposed a plan to prevent the U.S. from paying more for prescription medication than other developed countries. Her plan aimed to cap drug prices at an average of those in different nations.

During her presidential run, Harris also advocated for Medicare for All, a single-payer insurance proposal. She emphasized the deeply personal nature of healthcare for Americans and envisioned a comprehensive healthcare system covering all medically necessary services, from emergency room visits to mental health and reproductive health care. She also proposed empowering the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, aiming to make health care accessible and affordable.

“There is perhaps no more complicated or personal issue for Americans than health care. I know this from my own personal life, caring for my mother as she battled colon cancer. And I also know it from talking to so many Americans in this campaign — seniors and union members, young people and parents, workers and caregivers,” said Harris in the article she wrote for Medium.

She Prioritizes Black Maternal Health

First, the federal Maternal Health Day of Action at the White House called to improve health outcomes for parents and infants in the United States. “Before, during, and after childbirth, women in our nation are dying at a higher rate than any other developed nation in our world,” Harris stated during the Maternal Day of Action Summit. “Black women are three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications. We should do something about that.” She has highlighted the alarming rates of maternal mortality, especially amongst our community. As a Senator, she co-introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act with Congresswomen Lauren Underwood and Alma Adams in 2020. This bill aims to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly amongst our community and other communities that face disparities. As a result, a significant achievement was the passage of the Protecting Moms Who Served Act on November 30, 2021, which focuses on maternal care for veterans. Still, the complete Momnibus package is being advocated for, with the latest version introduced on May 15, 2023.

Her Support for Reproductive Rights

As Senator, Harris co-sponsored legislation aimed at eliminating state-level restrictions, such as mandatory tests for doctors or the requirement for doctors to have hospital admitting privileges to perform abortions. During her 2019 presidential campaign, Harris proposed that states with a history of violating Roe v. Wade should undergo pre-clearance for new abortion laws, securing federal approval before they could be enacted. In December 2023, Harris launched the “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, aiming to counteract the effects of abortion bans and advocate for the restoration of Roe v. Wade protections.

As reported by CNN, in March of 2024, Harris made history by becoming the first sitting vice president to visit an abortion clinic. She toured a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota, highlighting the ongoing healthcare crisis.

“The reason I’m here is because this is a health care crisis,” Harris said. “Part of this health care crisis is the clinics like this that have had to shut down and what that has meant to leave no options with any reasonable geographic area for so many women who need this essential care.”

Kamala Harris’s advocacy for women’s health is extensive. While we have touched on some of the key highlights, her work spans a much broader spectrum. By looking back at some of her major contributions, we can gain insights into potential future developments. By staying informed, we can collectively strive to create a healthier and more equitable future for ourselves, our mothers, sisters, friends, and women everywhere.

The post Where Does VP Kamala Harris Stand on Healthcare? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

These were fibroids invading my body and interrupting my peace. I knew it but could not prove it, so I consulted a doctor to tell me what I already knew.

After an extended period of listening to a history podcast about the French Revolution in the waiting room, I was able to connect with him and explain my feelings.

His response to the news that I was running through super jumbo tampons like they were going out of style and had days where I could not stand due to the pain did not shock me, but it did infuriate me.

The OB-GYN I was seeing at the time refused to give me an ultrasound. He stared at my mid-section as I spoke, refusing to meet my eyes or acknowledge the urgency in my voice. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reports that “Fibroids are more common and more severe among African American women, and African American women have fibroids diagnosed at earlier ages, are more likely to be symptomatic, and are likely to have different responses to medical treatment than White women.”

These facts did not affect his decision-making.

His diagnosis was premature. He did not inform me that having a vitamin D deficiency— which I was later proven to have—was associated with a higher risk for fibroids. He did not ask anything about my stress level or my lifestyle.

It leaped from his lips. “Go to the gym at 6 am daily, then come back and talk to me in a couple of months, okay.”

He refused to commit to ordering an ultrasound despite my protests. It did not matter that I explained my family history. It did not matter that I had been bleeding since I was 11 years old, and I knew that what I was experiencing was not normal for my body.

I was fat, so sending me to the gym was the only logical conclusion to addressing any health problem I had. What else could you do but instruct me to hit the weight room? It’s not like l was a real person or anything.

“Physicians may over-attribute symptoms and problems to obesity and fail to refer the patient for diagnostic testing or to consider treatment options beyond advising the patient to lose weight, according to a 2015 study published in Obesity Reviews. I am living proof that research is accurate.

This kind of weight bias negatively impacts patient outcomes and contributes to some people’s reluctance to seek care.

Fat people are not the only ones who are routinely dismissed by the people they turn to for help. Women Health Reports reported in 2022 that “Racism impacts clinician’s ability to listen to Black women’s experiences and treat them as equal partners in decision-making about their own care and treatment options.”

When you are a Black woman who happens to be fat, you are likely to face more barriers to receiving adequate care.

The Journal of American Medical Association reports that “Chronic pain is an area where substantial racial and ethnic differences in the management and treatment of Black individuals’ pain have been well-documented.”

A few years and a significant amount of pain later, I turned to another doctor at the height of the pandemic. She was a Black woman.

I sought out a Black woman doctor because I was afraid of what would happen if I didn’t. I explained what I was feeling and was immediately told that I needed an ultrasound.

The experience was simple. It revealed what I already knew quickly. I had several fibroid tumors causing my pain.

There was no need to plead and beg for what should have been routine diagnostic care. She felt she could not confidently treat me without knowing what was going on, so she ensured I had tests that would let her develop an informed treatment plan.

It is unconscionable that my healthcare provider refused to confirm that via the appropriate testing.

Editor’s Note: If a doctor does not give you the tests you believe you need, ask again. If they refuse, change practitioners immediately. Do not wait. Before choosing a new doctor, research, research, research, check ratings, read reviews, and get recommendations from current patients. Check out this list for more tips.

The post My Ob-Gyn Denied Me Care Because I’m Overweight appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The report indicates that up to 50% of birthing people retain 10 pounds or more, and up to 25% retain more than 20 pounds.

Being proactive about your patient’s PPWR now could avoid the associated comorbidity medical risks such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in the future.

Recognizing the Roadblocks

There is room to improve the postpartum wellness journey and obesity outcomes for your patients who give birth—currently, care often centers around the most visible challenges associated with the post-delivery period. However, that period is extensive, and patients need instruction on caring for their mind and body during that time.

A review published in Heylion found that “When communicating with patients from different cultural backgrounds, physicians were found to be authoritarian, biomedical-focused, and not involved with patients in decision-making.” Perceptions like these create roadblocks to effective obesity treatment.

Why Cultural Sensitivity Matters

Leah Hairston, a birth and postpartum doula who earned the recognition of John Hopkins Social Innovation Lab and as a semifinalist for Pharell Williams’ Black Ambition Prize last year, Sweet Bee Services, spoke to the need for professionals who understand the cultural sensitivity challenges faced in postpartum.

“There’s a dearth of access to Black dietitians and nutritionists,” she told Black Health Matters.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states, “Reproduction has been identified as an important factor for long-term weight gain among women.”

Hairston and her team offer solutions to the people they serve. “People feel a lot more at ease because there’s somebody who looks like them who also understands,” she explained.

Hairston gave an example of the need for cultural sensitivity in postpartum nutrition: “My family’s Caribbean. So, I’m gonna eat plantains and rice and beans. I don’t want to feel like rice and beans are a punitive meal,” she explained. But I might not need to eat six helpings of rice and beans.”

She values practitioners who are “able to honor the things that are important to me and my family while also honoring our budgetary restrictions and any other needs that we might have.” She brings that awareness to her work.

Rethinking Postpartum Evaluations

Birthing persons require support far beyond the first few months of the postpartum era, but an article from Nutrition Research Reviews reported that “much less attention is being given to the postpartum period beyond 18 months.”

Postpartum patients need thorough evaluations to determine if they have obesity. These evaluations need to go beyond the sparse required check-ins for birthing persons.

“There is a great need for postpartum women to identify the implications of postpartum obesity. There is also a need for healthcare professionals to treat postpartum women with greater competency, having a structured postpartum follow-up with counseling and motivation for weight loss and investigations like hemoglobin, TSH, and blood sugars at follow-up,” according to a 2022 article published by the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India.

The Annals of Hematology noted that “postpartum anemia has been linked to several important postpartum morbidities, including depression, reduced cognition, and fatigue.” Still, it is critical to learn how it plays into postpartum obesity.

Dr. Danielle Wright-Terre, founder of the Honey, a postpartum community and app, commented on gaps in the postpartum care process that begin earlier than that. “Regarding check-ins for the mom, there are gaps,” she said. “There needs to be more guidance on the physical recovery aspect.”

Many doctors focus on ruling out issues for new mothers instead of being evaluated for ways they can thrive.

“The postpartum phase is just to make sure mom is doing well from a mental health standpoint. After that visit, if nothing is identified, her next visit is at 12 months, and that’s the annual visit. So, there’s not a lot of check-ins,” Dr. Wright-Terrell continued.

Key Factors Impacting PPWR

According to the Journal of Clinical Medicine, “Irregular sleep and mealtimes during the postpartum period could also interfere with body weight. Emerging evidence suggests that the misalignment of eating and fasting patterns with the body’s circadian rhythm could impact metabolic function and consequently body weight.”

Irregular sleep can also contribute to an individual becoming obese.

“Individuals who regularly slept less than seven hours per night were more likely to have higher average body mass indexes and develop obesity than those who slept more,” in a study published by BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.

Current Obesity Reports states, “Epigenetic programming that occurs at conception and throughout pregnancy predisposes children born to mothers with obesity to a range of chronic metabolic conditions including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”

Taking an Individualized Approach

Healthcare practitioners must individualize their engagement with birthing people. Not all people who give birth are the same, and they do not all come from the same culture.

An informed perspective can help a practitioner be more effective.

Dr. Wright-Terrell pointed out that people who deliver without complications might not need to wait the widely recommended six weeks before engaging in movement that might help their mind and body. She said sometimes they “can start moving and gentle exercise as soon as 72 hours after delivery.”

Talking to your patients to determine what is best for them can help you make recommendations that suit their goals best.

“I try not to restrict my patients in terms of movement because movement is really powerful and healthy overall, and it can help you feel more like yourself.”

Referrals are crucial in helping people with uteruses re-engage with their fitness plans. Hairston uses referrals to help her clients understand the resources available to them.

“A nutritionist is covered under your insurance when you’re pregnant and usually in the first couple weeks of postpartum, and so it should be pretty easy to find somebody in-network,” she said.

Dr. Wright-Terrell explained the importance of educating patients on how their fitness goals can be achieved through seeking specific care to prevent sustained weight gain. For example, physical therapy can help build core strength, which is essential to pursuing weight loss through physical exercise. “Another great resource that I feel is underutilized is physical therapists, specifically pelvic floor physical therapists,” she said.

Dr. Wright-Terrell states, “Every OB should have a low threshold to send out the referral” for a specialist to accommodate them.

When HCPs approach patients holistically, we may have a better chance of reducing PPWR in our community.

Supported by an educational grant from Novo Nordisk Inc.

The post A Holistic Approach to Postpartum Weight Gain Benefits Patients appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Her mother, Diann Ash, wrote, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved daughter, sister, and friend, Erica Chantal Ash (1977-2024). After a long and courageous battle with cancer, she transitioned peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones. Erica was an amazing woman and talented entertainer who touched countless lives with her sharp wit,  humor, and genuine zest life. Her memory will live eternally in our hearts.”

When she appeared as a guest on Jemele Hill’s Unbothered Podcast ep 88, “The Year of No F**Ks,” in 2020, Ash talked candidly about battling breast cancer. “I’ve beaten cancer twice. The first time was 2b, the second time was stage 4, and I was trying to decide if I would talk about this…because I haven’t before. But I feel like I should because Black women don’t talk about it, and we need to share our journeys. It was probably the toughest journey for me, but it made me realize the depth of my power. I don’t even know the depth of my power.”

Ash was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time she was cast on MAD TV and underwent treatment while doing the show. And didn’t tell any of her friends. It returned for the second time a decade later. Ash’s diagnosis at that time was stage 4 cancer. The cancer also ate away 70% of her spine, requiring her to get screws installed. As a result, she decided to live boldly. And she did things like jump off cliffs in Mexico. “I am going to test the limits of my Black girl magic,” she told Hill in the interview. “I told three girlfriends and my parents.” Everyone else found out listening to Hill’s show. She was shooting “In Contempt” during her stage 4 diagnosis and treatment.

Ash believed that one should listen to one’s body and ask questions of medical professionals until one is satisfied with the answers. She told Hill she wasn’t afraid to fire her doctors, and she did so more than once.

Ash was beloved by her colleagues, friends, and all who knew her. May she rest in peace. The family asks that any donations be made to the Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation.

The post Actress Erica Ash Has Died After A Battle With Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Jenni A. Shearston, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Berkeley, led the study. According to the study, “Between 52–86% of people who menstruate in the United States use tampons—cotton and/or rayon/viscose ‘plugs’—to absorb menstrual blood in the vagina.

Tampons may contain metals from agricultural or manufacturing processes, which could be absorbed by the vagina’s highly absorbent tissue, resulting in systemic exposure. To our knowledge, no previous studies have measured metals in tampons.”

The team examined “14 tampon brands and 18 product lines and compared the concentrations by tampon characteristics.” (Think: Regular, Super, and Super Plus).  They found 16 metals in total: arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and zinc.

They purchased products in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. All the types tested had detectable levels of metals, which Newsweek reports may cause depression.

Are you safer with organic brands? Not exactly. You are exposed to different toxins. The non-organic tampons tested had higher lead levels, and organic tampons were more likely to contain arsenic.

Newsweek reported, “Despite this large potential for public health concern, very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons,” said Jenni Shearston, a postdoctoral scholar at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and UC Berkeley’s Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, said in a statement.

“To our knowledge, this is the first paper to measure metals in tampons. Concerningly, we found concentrations of all metals we tested for, including toxic metals like arsenic and lead.”

What’s the risk to our health? Exposure to metal can cause things like infertility, cancer, diabetes, and dementia. They can impact maternal health and fetal development and cause damage to the liver, kidney, brain, and cardiovascular system. However, it is unclear whether the amount of metals contained in tampons would impact us this way.

Since this is the first study of its kind, be aware of the possible implications. Stay tuned to see if there will be any changes in the laws that will include better labeling.

Also, talk to your GYN about your alternative.

The post Some Tampons Brands (Even Organic Ones) Contain Arsenic & Lead appeared first on Black Health Matters.

To bridge the awareness gap, let’s delve into some essential knowledge every mother needs.

What is Cord Blood?

Following a baby’s birth, the umbilical cord and placenta are often discarded and dismissed as postpartum biological waste. However, they hold something very special: cord blood. This is not just any blood; it’s a unique type of blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth.

What sets cord blood apart is its rich content of hematopoietic stem cells, as outlined by Stanford Medicine. These cells can help strengthen the immune system, and they can even mature and grow into different types of blood cells; they hold the potential to reconstitute an individual’s entire blood supply. Their capabilities make them invaluable in the treatment of various diseases, including leukemia, genetic disorders, and immune system diseases. These reasons point to why as a community, we should think twice before discarding this life-saving resource.

How is Cord Blood Retrieved?

If you decide to store your baby’s cord blood, your healthcare provider will collect it right after they clamp and cut the umbilical cord. As explained by the Mayo Clinic, a needle is inserted into the cord to extract the blood. The blood is then put into a collection bag. This entire process takes just a few minutes and from there, the blood undergoes processing and categorization before it is dispatched for freezing.

Facts You Should Know

If you’re thinking about storing or donating cord blood, it’s important to be well-informed. The Cord Blood Association has shared some interesting, yet not widely known, facts about cord blood. Take a moment to look at these facts:

Collecting cord blood does not harm the mother or baby and does not interfere with childbirth. It is collected by one’s doctor, or the placenta is delivered and given to a cord blood collection specialist. The collection process occurs after the umbilical cord is detached from the baby.

Expecting parents should prepare in advance for the collection of cord blood. It’s recommended to talk to your obstetrical physician or other healthcare providers between the 28th and 34th week of pregnancy about our interest in storing or donating your baby’s cord blood.

Unfortunately, not every hospital offers the option of cord blood donation, so checking in with your preferred hospital is important.

Cord blood is an alternative to bone marrow. It is used in transplants because it contains many natural elements and has amazing blood-forming abilities.

While you can choose to privately bank your baby’s cord blood for potential future use by your own family, donated cord blood can be used by anyone who is a match. Your baby’s cord blood could potentially save the lives of people beyond your family, patients who don’t have a suitable family donor.

When properly stored, cord blood stem cells don’t expire. Unlike bone marrow, cord blood can be frozen and stored for years or even decades.

Will Your Family’s Cord Blood Be a Match?

Most cord blood treatments rely on matching human leukocyte antigens (HLA), these are proteins that are found on most cells in your body. Your immune system uses these markers to recognize which cells belong in your body and which do not. In many cases, cord blood from a family member isn’t always a match. Even though family members share genes, the combination of HLA markers can vary. While cord blood can be a valuable resource, it is not guaranteed to be a match for siblings or other family members. This is one of the primary reasons why cord blood banks and registries are important. They reduce the waste of viable cord blood and increase the chances of finding a match for those in need of transplants.

Public vs Private Cord Blood Banks

When it comes to cord blood banking, public and private cord blood banks offer different services.

Donating cord blood to a public bank is a generous act that comes at no cost to you. Once donated, the cord blood becomes available to any patient in need of a transplant, or it can be used for medical research. Although public banking doesn’t reserve your donation for your family alone, it can contribute to health equity in our community, ensuring that we have the same access to life-saving treatments as patients from other ethnic backgrounds.

On the other hand, private cord blood banking is a personal investment. While it does come with collection and storage fees, it ensures that your baby’s cord blood is exclusively reserved for your family’s use. Initial collection fees can cost thousands of dollars, and annual storage fees can cost several hundred dollars, but for many families, it is worth it. Private banks have more flexible guidelines, allowing them to store any amount of cord blood, regardless of the stem cell count.

If your family ever needs cord blood, retrieving your specific donation from a public bank is highly unlikely. Once you donate to a public bank, the cord blood is owned by the bank, and there’s no guarantee it will be available if needed. If guaranteed access to your baby’s cord blood is what you’re looking for, private cord banking might be the route for you.

Each type of banking comes with its own advantages and challenges. While the financial aspect often stands out in comparison, as a mother, you possess the understanding of what is best for your family. Looking further into your options is always a wise move so that you can make informed decisions that align with your family’s needs.

Why It’s Important That We Participate

Choosing to donate your newborn’s cord blood can contribute to a nationwide effort to create a genetically diverse inventory of stem cells for transplantation and treatments. Patients in need of a transplant are more likely to find a suitable match from a donor of the same ethnic background, and the importance of cord blood awareness, particularly for Black mothers, can’t be understated.

The National Marrow Donor Program has revealed that approximately 70% of patients requiring transplants don’t have fully matched family donors. These patients often depend on cord blood transplants from unrelated donors. Therefore, even if your donation doesn’t directly benefit your own family, it serves as an invaluable contribution to the broader healthcare system.

Engage in conversations about Cord Blood Awareness Month with your loved ones. Spreading awareness can significantly enhance the chances of saving lives and collectively advance the research and treatments for conditions that affect us profoundly. Every conversation counts.

The post Understanding Cord Blood (What Expectant Mothers Should Know) appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Corynne Corbett (00:13):

H Everyone.

Corynne Corbett (00:15):

I’m Corynne Corbett, editorial director from Black Health Matters. And today, I had the pleasure of speaking with Monet Farr Cole, who is the founder of New Paradigm’s grief, recovery, and Life Coach. And we’re going to talk about loss, and I’m going to ask Monet to talk about what she does because nobody can talk about what you do better than yourself. So Monet, what is it that you do?

Monet Farr Cole (00:53):

Thank you. Well, as you said, my name is Monet Far Cole, and I am a grief recovery specialist and I’m a life coach. And so I work primarily with women who are dealing with loss, whether it’s from death of a loved one, divorce and some of the other many losses that we suffer in life. And I help them to have some tools that they can use to process their grief. Women who are dealing with loss, whether it’s from death of a loved one, divorce and some of the other many losses that we suffer in life. And I help them to have some tools that they can use to process their grief. And then at the end of that, we then start working on, okay, so what does life look like now with your new set of circumstances and how do you want to move forward? And so, then I help them to actually move forward as well. And I just love what I do.

Corynne Corbett (01:35):

So a lot of times we talk about grief, but really, at the end of the day today, what we’re going to talk about is loss because I think we can all identify with loss whether we’ve lost a job, we lost our way, we’ve all lost our way at some point in our lives, right? Yes. And sometimes, it’s coping with a loss. The finding the tools to even identify that we can find the words to say that that’s lost, how we begin to even say that, to even find the words to say that I’m in a space where I’ve lost something.

Monet Farr Cole (02:37):

Yeah. And I just think we don’t understand the relationship between loss and grief. We have all experienced grief, whether we’ve experienced someone who died or not, because we grieve the things that we lose. And whether it’s a relationship, whether it’s community, whether it’s loss of faith, I mean, there’s a lot of different things that our experiences feel like a loss. And so we’ve been grieving, and we didn’t know that we were grieving. And unfortunately, when people hear grief, they think immediately about death. But if we had an open mind around grief and actually had more tools and conversation around dealing with loss, everyday loss in our lives in a healthier way, I think we have those tools early on in life so that we don’t get stuck when we find that after loss, after loss, after loss, and we haven’t been really dealing with the grief of those losses, that’s what gets us stuck.

Corynne Corbett (03:40):

So you talked about being stuck. So, how do we identify that? We’re stuck?

Monet Farr Cole (03:46):

So a lot of times we lose our verb for life. We just get a little complacent. We find that we’re isolated, we don’t enjoy the things that we used to, or there are very few things that we do that bring us any joy anymore. And so we are just going through, it feels like you’re on a hamster wheel, and day after day after day just looks the same, and you’re not quite sure how to get it back. And so a lot of times because we don’t have the tools, or we don’t have someone to say, look, you’re stuck, and you should get some help through this, we just remain complacent in that space. And it’s unfortunate because I think a lot of things happen when we’re stuck, our health starts to suffer not only our physical health, but our mental health as well. And we’re not interacting with other people. So, our brain health is even. There are a lot of things and a lot of fallout from being stuck.

Corynne Corbett (04:49):

Now that it’s interesting that you said that a lot of things happen. So you’re saying, so your mood changes. For example, you become lethargic. You said something about your brain health. So how would that change, for example?

Monet Farr Cole (05:08):

So when we’re not interacting with other people because we’re isolating, because we’re just stuck and not really putting ourselves out there anymore, then we’re not being challenged to think outside of our own thoughts. And especially if we’re just in this very small microcosm of people that we deal with, it’s incestuous. The thoughts become incestuous. Your thoughts and my thoughts are the same. So we’re not learning more. We’re not growing more so because we’re stuck. And we’ve decided that even if we don’t realize we’re stuck, that we’re okay with things as they are, we feel comfortable in that space, and we don’t even want now to try to learn more or to be with people who have different thoughts and feelings and ideas. So it’s a vicious cycle. You’re stuck, so you’re comfortable being stuck, so you stay stuck unless you have someone or you start to at least read about or find someone like me who can show you the ways in which we get stuck. And to compassionately help you through that because it’s hard. It’s hard to first recognize that you’re stuck and then to take the steps to make a change.

Corynne Corbett (06:26):

Right. So, what made you want to do this work?

Monet Farr Cole (06:33):

So, my own grief journey led me to become a grief recovery specialist. So I lost my mom in 2010, and that was devastating. When you lose your mom, it’s like no matter what the relationship, it’s like the earth beneath you just crumbles. And so I felt that. And then I also suffered the loss of basically the whole generation of her sisters and brothers. But the thing that really just took me out was the loss of my life partner. So when he died, I just really didn’t know what my future looked like and I didn’t care. And so that was an indication that I needed some help. So that’s when I found the grief recovery method, which is the method I use with my clients. And so the grief work is what got me started down this path and working with my clients to give them the tools and help them through the process over a six week time period.

(07:36):

But then I also realized that a lot of them were still stuck, even though they’ve done the work to now release the grief, they still weren’t sure how to move forward. So even though you’ve done that work, you could still get stuck. And then I’ve seen my friends and I felt stuck actually after grieving the loss of my soulmate. And I just felt like there was room for someone to be out here to help. And there are others like me, but I’m passionate about really helping people move forward into a life that they can love. Why just settle for a life that’s just okay and humdrum? Go for your dream life. Why shouldn’t we all do that? And so I really wanted to empower women to move forward and go after what they really want.

Corynne Corbett (08:28):

And why do you think that your passion is for women especially?

Monet Farr Cole (08:33):

I see myself. I do. And I think that as women, a lot of us are empathic. We feel so much and we do so much. And we’re the nurturers. We are the caretakers a lot of time. And not to disparage any men because they also have their roles, and they’ve suffered too. They really do. That’s why I’d never say I’m not open to working with men, but women are my passion to work with women through these issues. Because a lot of times, we just take the hit and keep going. We’ve been told to put big girl panties on and keep it moving. You don’t have time to sit down and feel sorry for yourself or feel bad or to feel the feels right. You don’t have time to feel all those emotions keep going. And I think that’s a very dangerous message, and I just would like to be part of the solution to help more of my sisters live life fully and boldly and

Corynne Corbett (09:33):

Big and bad. So what I like is that we’re having a conversation about loss and grief, but it’s not this too, sad overtone because the perception is when you think about grief and you think about that we’re going to have this conversation that we’re going to be sad and somber, so to speak, we’re going to be like, oh, so this is going to be this discussion, and we’re going to be talking like this, and we’re going to be really thoughtful. What we’re not talking like that, because what we’re saying is that we are trying to recover our lives in this conversation, that you’re encouraging women to find the joy again, to find purpose again, and that it is possible to do that. But one of the things that you said that really stuck with me is that six weeks was not enough. That there’s no time limit, that you can’t identify a time when the journey is over for someone.

Monet Farr Cole (11:07):

No.

Corynne Corbett (11:08):

So, can you talk a little bit more about that?

Monet Farr Cole (11:10):

Yeah, I mean, there are a couple of things I want to say about that. So first is that those five stages of grief are not applying to grievers. That was originally put out there by a psychiatrist who was working with terminally ill patients. So that whole concept of first you go through denial and then anger, and then no, that’s not, so our grief is not linear like that. And so, everyone’s journey is different. And so that’s why the six weeks, even though my program is typically six weeks long, I’ve gone almost a year out, to be quite honest with some people, because we all process our emotions differently. And so we have to be given the time to have our own unique grief journey, and we will have different emotions. You can have two siblings lose their mother and have completely different reactions to the death.

(12:05):

And then my message is more upbeat because grief is every day. It’s an everyday thing. I’m trying to bring normalcy to grief. It’s not this big dark cloud that has to be so burdensome and, like you said, so dark and so gloomy that it feels very out there to us instead of, it’s something that we all go through and especially in normalizing it for our children as well, so that then they grow up with a healthier experience and interaction with grief. And so that’s where the name of my company really came from was new paradigms, having just a new look at grief, looking at it differently, reframing our old vision of what grief is. I want to change that.

Corynne Corbett (12:57):

Yeah, I think that’s so important. So you mentioned that there are so many ways that we experience loss. Can you talk about some of the ways that we experience it?

Monet Farr Cole (13:10):

Yeah. So there are over 40 losses that we can experience through our lives and suffer grief as a result. So death of a loved one is the obvious. Divorce is another one that we are familiar with. But what about moving? You move to a new location, that’s a loss. You’re looking forward to the new place that you’re going to be, but you’re saying goodbye to friends and the neighborhood that maybe you grew up in. So that’s a loss. We have loss of friends. Sometimes our friendships come to an end, and that can be really devastating. And we don’t compare losses. My loss of a friend might hit me harder than the loss of your dad because you didn’t know him. It’s like we don’t compare losses. So they’re all things that we may grieve, we also grieve. And the losses that are intangible, like loss of faith, when something happens and we don’t understand it, and we’re questioning our faith, how could that be?

(14:12):

That goes against everything I thought I knew about my spiritual practice and my beliefs. So you got loss of faith, you have loss of safety. Things happen in our lives and we no longer feel safe, loss of health, loss of career. So there’s a lot, there’s so many things that we go through in life that make us grieve and we don’t even recognize. And so what happens is that grief gets packed on there and packed on and packed on. Then we got Samsonite luggage that we’re dragging around with us from one relationship to another or from one stage life to another. And we don’t even realize it, but it impacts us.

Corynne Corbett (14:57):

Exactly, exactly. And I have a friend who used to say, one carry on allowed, but that’s impossible. If we’re talking like this, that’s actually not feasible. If we’re talking about all the things that we experience in life, how are we carrying one carry on? If we’re actually living, we want to unpack. So we would have to then face some of the things that we’re experiencing and then take them behind some way.

Monet Farr Cole (15:39):

Yeah. How many times do we start a new relationship? And we haven’t really dealt with the grief of the past relationship. We just said, oh, move on. Get a new boyfriend. Get a good new girlfriend. Just keep going. Replace that loss with a new person. And you didn’t really grieve what you had with that person at one time. It was good. So there is some grief there no matter why you broke up. And if we don’t deal with that, we just carry it into relationship after relationship. And then it’s hard for us to show up really healthy in those new relationships.

Corynne Corbett (16:20):

So when you are working with people, what is the process? Is it one-on-one sessions? Is it writing? Is it action? Do they get homework? Talk a little bit about how the work gets done.

Monet Farr Cole (16:45):

So I have a couple of different programs. So the program to really process the grief is the grief recovery method. And that’s one-on-one coaching, but I also do groups for that as well. And there is reading and there is homework involved in that process because it’s important that we start understanding, have a new understanding of what grief is, and then we start getting new tools, new ways to look at things, new ways to process things. So it’s really important that homework piece is a crucial part of the work. And then we meet one-on-one weekly to talk about the assignments. And I give my clients however long they need. Typically it takes them about eight to nine weeks instead of the six weeks because it’s hard stuff that comes up. And while I do keep it light, as light as I can, I am a compassionate specialist.

(17:43):

And so I am very aware of what they’re going through. I’ve gone through it. So it helps that I have experienced what they have. But then I also have the coaching after the grief recovery, and those can be different. So for your listeners, I’m offering that Heal Your Heart Challenge, where it’s just the email inspiration and journal prompts just to get people started. But the bigger program would be another four week program where they actually get one-on-one coaching, as well as homework assignments for the Heal Your Heart Challenge, and then the other coaching programs a little bit longer. So I have another program that’s four to six months, and that’s really intensive. So we get into your beliefs, talk about our values, how to structure your life based on your values, and create boundaries based on your values. So we go a little bit deeper in those programs, but with everything there is an educational component, there’s always an educational component.

Corynne Corbett (18:51):

So just for those of you who are listening, Monet has given you a little tease here. She’s going to offer you a 30 day program. Tell us a little bit more about that. Now we are just giving you a little, just teased it a little bit, but we’re going to give you yes, this a little quick little public service announcement.

Monet Farr Cole (19:19):

Yes. So for your subscribers and listeners, I wanted to offer something special. So free of charge, they’ll get a 30 day program where each of those days, they’ll receive an email in their inbox with some inspiration and also a journal prompt. And so what it’s geared to, our brain works in a way that if we can get small tasks done and completed, it gives us a sense of confidence to allow us to do more work, and we see that we can be effective. So that’s what this program is really about: getting people to take these small steps towards healing their hearts and moving forward in their lives. And so the inspiration is just around giving them the encouragement to move forward and with compassion and with good information. And then the journal prompts get them involved. So now they can start taking it in, self-reflecting, and then writing it out. And that’ll take them even further on this journey.

Corynne Corbett (20:27):

So you’ll see the link right here, but then in the transcript, you’ll also see the link again and just see the link at the end of this program. Tell you again before we’re done. But as you’re listening, we just want to give you the little announcement, but we’re going to keep talking just in case. But this is a little public service announcement for those of you who are listening right in the middle of this show. So we talked about this, all the kinds of losses that we can experience in our lives, but let’s go back to now that we, let’s really talked about loss of a loved one. And because initially we didn’t want to talk about that because a lot of times people shy away from that. But now we can talk about that and that can change people’s lives really significantly. And that’s where many, many people become stuck and don’t really know what to do, particularly women, particularly women. And so let’s talk about ways how that shows up in our lives. And this could be women of all ages. This is not women of a certain age is this is women of all ages who just become lost. This is about being lost, not just lost. This is about lost, but become lost because they don’t see themselves without the other person.

Monet Farr Cole (22:36):

So there’s several things I’d really like to talk about here. And so one of them is around emotional incompleteness. So a lot of times when we have unresolved grief, it’s because we didn’t get to say something, do something. There were things that we thought wish were better or we had more of or even less of. And so because those things just get bottled in because now we can’t tell the person, even if in a divorce, it’s not emotionally safe to have those conversations, probably with your ex, because you might just get re-injured. So regardless of whether it’s death or divorce, those things are bottled up inside. So because of that, we’re just carrying that around and it’s hard to move forward. But you have those friends that just keep replaying the same story. Every time you talk to them, they’re telling you the same story, the same story. A lot of times, it’s in a breakup, and he did this, and he did that.

(23:35):

And it is like, girl, okay, we’ve been talking about this same thing, but it’s hard to move forward even with death. You were supposed to take that trip, and you never took that trip and whatever it is. And so those things absolutely get us stuck. So that’s one way we get stuck. The other thing is the people who are supporting us through grief mean the best. They have the best intentions, but unfortunately, there’s so much misinformation around grief or no information around grief that sometimes we actually injure the griever with little things. So for example, I had friends loved me dearly. I know it for sure. And they would just call and say, how are you? How are you?

(24:25):

And I’m like, I’m sad. I’m still sad. But after a while, I got tired of saying I was the sad one. I didn’t want to be negative Nancy all the time, even though I felt like saying he’s still dead. So yeah, I’m sad, I’m sad. But I started lying. I just started saying, yeah, I’m better. I’m better. And see, that gets us in the motion of not being emotionally honest anymore. And so because we’re not able to be emotionally honest, we’re living a lie. And in living that lie, we get stuck. And it happens more times than it, what’s so sad about it? And it’s done out of, there’s no mouth, bad wishes. People have the best intentions, but unfortunately, that’s one of the ways that we can get stuck. And we just become more and more detached from ourselves, from our true self because we can’t be as sad as we really want to be.

(25:36):

We can’t be not okay with life still a year later, yes, I’m still grieving. Yes, even at work, we can’t do it. People don’t understand. So that’s a big reason why we get stuck. And then the other thing is, a third thing I want to talk about is victimhood. So it’s very natural to feel like a victim when we suffer a loss. Everybody, yes, you didn’t want this to happen to you or to your loved one. The problem is, if we get stuck as victim and it’s easy to do because people expect you to be victim, then that’s another way we get stuck because we’re not empowered now to move forward, to make changes, to make a difference. And so what I encourage my clients to do is if you could take just 1% responsibility, not for what happened, but for your reaction to what happened, that’s the only thing we can really have any control over is how we react. So when the time is right, can you just take the 1% and it could be as small as you got help. Hey, that’s a move in the right direction. It’s the smallest steps. But the more they do that, the more they will and the less victim they’ll feel, and the more empowered they feel. So that’s a way out of getting stuck as well. But being victim is one of the ways we get stuck too.

Corynne Corbett (27:13):

But I’m going to go back to what you just said about the friend who calls, and then you’re like, I’m better. You can’t say to your friend you’re lying. You’re not better.

Monet Farr Cole (27:26):

See, the thing is that I know that when I’ve called my loved ones, and they’re suffering, I am waiting for them to say I’m better. I am not putting the pressure on at all. But in the back of my mind, I can’t wait until she says, yes, I’m better. And the other person can feel it. And so we want to make people comfortable without grief. We don’t want them to suffer with us, so we hide it. Yeah.

Corynne Corbett (28:07):

So it’s like a catch-22. So, the person who’s angry has to carry the burden of making other people feel better.

Monet Farr Cole (28:22):

Yes, absolutely. That’s

Corynne Corbett (28:25):

Jacked up though.

Monet Farr Cole (28:27):

It is. And it is just about not having the right information because you know what you can do instead of just saying, how are you? Do you need something? Can I just come and sit with you? You need some, Rosa, what do you need? I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to say to help, but I just want you to know I’m here. So if we had this information, then we would know not to keep asking, how are you? But we don’t have the information,

Corynne Corbett (28:58):

Right? I don’t think I ever said, how are you? I don’t. I say, how? You don’t think I say that?

Monet Farr Cole (29:12):

How are you holding up?

Corynne Corbett (29:17):

I do say, what do you need? What can I bring you?

Monet Farr Cole (29:21):

Yes, that’s perfect. That is perfect.

Corynne Corbett (29:24):

What can I bring? You need some food. What can I send? What can I bring? Yeah, I do say that. Yeah.

Monet Farr Cole (29:32):

I

Corynne Corbett (29:32):

Think when can I come by? Time

Monet Farr Cole (29:33):

Goes on six months in, a year in. I think it’s harder,

Corynne Corbett (29:44):

And I often say this to my family members: you don’t want to be an expert on death. Nobody wants to be an expert on death. And actually, everyone’s situation is different. So you don’t want to assume that what you know to be true is true for that other person.

Monet Farr Cole (30:07):

You’re right. That is key. That is key. Because I lost my mom and someone else lost their mom. We had completely different relationships with our mom. So I don’t know. All I know is how I felt. I can share that with you, but I don’t know how you feel.

Corynne Corbett (30:25):

That’s right. I do always say that to people. I was like, I don’t know how you feel. However, I will say my only advice to people this moment by moment. That’s my general advice. That’s good. Interesting. So, as people are coming through the programs and establishing a kind of new reality for themselves, what is your advice to them as they’re doing it?

Monet Farr Cole (31:09):

To have an accountability partner is really important, and to have a plan. So at the end of my programs, I definitely set up an action plan and we follow up. But it’s so important to be able to keep the promises that we make to ourselves. Because if no one else knows about it, it’s really easy to just go back to your old ways because it’s difficult to do something different. It is. So having an accountability partner is very important. Even if it’s just a friend that you say, look, I promised myself I was going to do this. I’m going to go out once a week and just meet people. I’m just going to go into public places and try to just meet some new people, whatever it is, but just share that with them that these are the things that you’re going to do so that someone can hold you accountable.

Corynne Corbett (32:02):

I think that’s really important. So the person doesn’t have to be, let’s say if you’re doing groups, they don’t have to be in that group. That could just be a friend or someone.

Monet Farr Cole (32:11):

An accountability department can be somebody. It’s whoever they want to choose. They might choose someone in the group because they’re going through very similar things. But yeah, it could be just a friend, someone who really cares about you and would call you on it. But it’s like having patience with themselves, too. It’s like having that balance of compassion and courage. So we want to have the courage to do the things that we say we’re going to do, but also being compassionate with ourselves too. So, just having a good balance.

Corynne Corbett (32:47):

And in your program, are there steps? So if I start in one program, could I go to a next program? Could I go to a next program? I feel like if I’m in a situation where I’m trying to come to terms with a loss of some sort, I may need more tools and more help than just one program, for example. So, if there were more opportunities for help, it’d be nice to know they’re there.

Monet Farr Cole (33:29):

So I have a tier because I realized that my clients are in different places. So I actually have a free unstuck event. So, it’s a free webinar. The next one is actually next Saturday at 12 June 15th if anyone wants to tune in. But I have the free one. So that starts to get you thinking about, wow, so that’s what stuck looks like. I think I’m stuck. So then we go into the Heal Your Heart challenge. So the one I’m doing with your listeners is abbreviated to just the 30 days, but I have a more extended program, but that’s still another tiny step because that’s a short program for just four weeks. And you start getting the one-on-one coaching, you do some journal prompts and you have the lessons. So that’s another step into the process. And then after that, then we have the untangled program. And so that’s the four to six-month program, and that’s more intensive. So that’s when you’re really feeling, okay, I really want to dive in and really make some changes in my life. And so then you would go there. But I did recognize that not everyone is ready to just go deep dive, right? Sometimes, we need those baby steps.

Corynne Corbett (34:46):

Absolutely. So what advice would you give to people who just want to dip a toe in?

Monet Farr Cole (35:02):

So if they just want to dip a toe in, there’s a couple of things they can do. I have conversations with everyone before I start working with them, and sometimes it’s just a conversation to have someone talk to you that understands what you may be going through to maybe give you some ideas of some of the things you could do, whether they’re my programs or whether they’re something else, then to at least get that going. The other thing I think is really good is the unstuck event. Because it is a free webinar on a Saturday, you’re in your home. It’s really easy. You just tune in for an hour, and then you see it might give you some indication of where you are in your process, whether you need to maybe do some grief work, you could do that too, or whether you’re really ready to move forward.

Corynne Corbett (35:56):

Right. Okay. That makes sense. That makes sense. Is there anything, excuse me, that you think we’ve missed in this discussion?

Monet Farr Cole (36:17):

I don’t think so. I think we did such a good job of covering everything. Thank you for being perfectly suited for this conversation. I really appreciate it. But I think we really covered a lot. I think we covered the grief as well as moving forward. And it’s important to distinguish the two and to be able to have tools for each of those, because the tools are a little bit different, but they definitely help. And the only other thing, I guess,

Corynne Corbett (36:49):

Go ahead.

Monet Farr Cole (36:51):

The only other thing we didn’t really talk too much about was emotional honesty. And that’s a big one for me too. Oh,

Corynne Corbett (36:56):

Let’s talk about that emotion. Emotion. Let’s talk about emotions.

Monet Farr Cole (37:00):

Honest is so important. If you’re not going to be honest with the people around you, at least be honest with yourself. And so I have what I call a five-step gut check. And so it’s every morning you wake up, and you’re like, okay, how am I feeling? Okay, so today I’m feeling afraid. Okay, so now the next step is, okay, why am I feeling that way? Why am I feeling afraid? Well, doing some new things. This is scary to me to try new things. Okay, so then the next step is, so are there some beliefs attached to that? So maybe I have some limiting beliefs around my ability to be different.

(37:48):

Then the next step would be, so is there anything I can do about it or no? First, is it true? Is it true? Is it true that I’m limited? No, it’s not true. And then you want to ask yourself, is there anything you can do about it? And yes, I can do more with my prayer meditation. I can read and do things that, I can take these small steps that will show me that I’m making progress, and I can build my confidence. And then, so those are the steps in that gut check. But I think it’s just really important. And to be able to name the different emotions. Don’t just always settle for angry. Really dig deep and figure out what it is you’re feeling, why you’re feeling it. And then basically, is there something you can do about it? And if not, it’s about acceptance, right? Accepting that this is just what is and having some

Corynne Corbett (38:53):

Peace. And you do that in the morning.

Monet Farr Cole (38:55):

In the morning, every morning. Just check in, check-in, just get into the habit. It’s a good habit to start really understanding our emotions. Our emotions are here to tell us something. They don’t just exist. They’re here to tell us something. And there are no bad emotions. They just are. So, if we’re jealous and envious, it’s not bad. It just is. Now, what you do about it could be bad. That’s where the good and bad could come in.

Corynne Corbett (39:30):

So for everyone listening today, this is something that we all can do, whether we have experienced loss or not, this is a five step process that we all need to make a habit starting tomorrow. That is something we could take away right now. So, let’s do the five-step gut check. Let’s start making that a habit right now that is a takeaway for us. All right? Now, the other thing is that the 30-day challenge is something that we could all do ourselves. Whether we’ve experienced loss or not, that is the other thing we could all do. So, Monet, please tell us again about the 30-day challenge that you’re offering.

Monet Farr Cole (40:20):

Us. So it’s a 30-day Heal Your Heart challenge. And what we’ll do is the link will take you to a page on my website where you can put your name and your email address. And so for 30 days after you subscribe, you’ll get an email in your inbox with an inspirational message as well as a journal prompt to help you start reflecting and looking inward to decide how you can move through that inspiration message and how you can apply it to yourself. And it just allows you to make these small steps forward to create a life you love.

Corynne Corbett (41:03):

All right? And who doesn’t want a life that they love?

Monet Farr Cole (41:07):

Yes, we all do

Corynne Corbett (41:09):

Think about that. Who does not want a life that they love? So Monet, for our call, I cannot thank you enough for being here with me.

Monet Farr Cole (41:20):

Thank you so much for having me. It’s my pleasure.

Check out Monet Farr Cole’s Events Page for additional upcoming sessions.

The post BHM Interview Monet Farr Cole on Navigating Loss, Emotional Honesty and Creating a Life You Love appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Finding Out What is Relevant For Us.

In approaching this study, researchers knew that persistent disparities exist when it comes to our health, particularly in cancer diagnosis and Black women. “In having a population of all Black women, we can understand what’s driving better outcomes for some Black women, less great outcomes for other black women. That way, as we partner with patient outreach and support and our local and national leaders, we can develop interventions that will be relevant for Black women,” Dr. McCullough says. “Often, when we think about disparities, we think about the reference or comparator group being white women. But by augmenting this population, we can better understand what works for us and what works for our health, and help drive interventions that will be relevant.”

This a 30 Year Study

The goal is to enroll over 100,000 women. This is not the most extensive study of Black women. But it will be the most extensive study to have Black women focused on cancer. To start, they are looking for Black women between the ages of 25-55 who have never been diagnosed with cancer (skin cancer is the only exception). Potential participants fill out a pretty comprehensive questionnaire, so they find out about your lived experience.

Dr. McCullough provides more details. “You will complete a short registration survey to get your demographic characteristics, name, address, phone number, and email. And that’s so we can keep up with you over the time you’re in the study for the next 30 years. That entire process takes about 10 or 15 minutes.,” she explains.

“After that, you would complete the first life and health histories survey, which takes about an hour, and some of the usual things you would expect in a health survey, previous medical conditions and family history; we’d also ask about lifestyle and behavior. Physical activity, diet environment, or food environment, we’d ask about your sleep. And then, there are several questions that we think are specific to this demographic group, including social support and caregiving, mental health, and experiences of racism and discrimination. And that survey, again, takes about an hour, and you’ll be fully enrolled in the study.” However, the health history is designed to be self-paced so participants can return to finish it when their schedules permit.

“Over time, we follow the population for all health outcomes, including cancer. So we’re able to understand then how all of these different things that someone may be exposed to, through their environment, their lifestyle, their job, their family, or medical, personal medical history, and so on, as well as other social and structural aspects, how all of these different factors may influence the risk of developing different types of health outcomes,” Dr. Patel explains, “Then we keep following the populations. So, for instance, if a woman is diagnosed with cancer, we don’t stop following her; we continue to follow the population for potentially the next 30 years, really to be able to understand how also to improve outcomes after a cancer or other disease diagnosis.”

You Don’t Have to Go Anywhere

You can participate in the Voices of Black Women study from the privacy of your home. You never have to go anywhere. “It is not a clinical trial. It is not an intervention,” Dr. McCullough says. “We just want to know about you, your experiences, your lifestyle, and then we can link that with various health outcomes that will emerge throughout the study.”

Dr. McCullough notes that over 30 years, the study researchers will reach out to participants twice a year to complete a 30-minute survey. And that’s it. “So an hour investment every year is what we’re looking for when we partner with Black women, and having this information on this number of women can help augment the research in health and cancer for Black women,” she says.

They Are Recruiting in 20 States

Recruitment is already underway, according to Dr. Patel.”We are recruiting right now across 20 states, including the District of Columbia. These 20 states and D.C. represent where over 90% of the Black population in the United States lives,” she says.

The States include Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Researchers Want to Build a Bidirectional Relationship

Dr. Patel says that this study is building upon previous studies. “So, an important thing for us has been and will continue to be for voices of Black women to share what we learned from the study. The more our participants feel connected to the discoveries we’re making to inform their health and understand their impact on a much greater scale, the more important it is to us,” she says. “We plan to build a bidirectional relationship through that participant portal. This is not something that we want women who choose to participate to feel like they are doing for us. But this is something they are doing with us. We will share findings as we uncover them over the next 30 years with our study participants.”

What They Hope to Learn

Dr. McCullough says, “I think we hope to learn why Black women are getting more aggressive types of disease. Cancer relatively impacts Black and white women pretty equally. But we know Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with tumors that are harder to treat, as well as late-stage tumors,” she says. “Even though for breast cancer, for example, Black women are equally likely to get screened as their white counterparts. And so, trying to get more insights on why this is the way we can tailor our prevention messages would be another goal. And then, finally, why Black women tend to die more or less often than other counterparts. And again, that we’re focused on Black women. But I think we can glean nice insights from understanding which participants, you know, survive longer. Are there things that they’re doing differently? Are there different systems that they’re operating in that better attend to their social needs? But certainly, some early insights will hopefully begin to narrow those gaps and create optimal health for all Black women.”

To enroll in VOICES of Black Women, go here.

If you still have questions about the program, check out the FAQs here.

The post Everything You Need to Know About the VOICES of Black Women Study (Focused on Us and Cancer) appeared first on Black Health Matters.

In our pursuit of more clarity, we turned to a trusted expert in the field, Dr. Eboni January, a board-certified obstetric gynecologist deeply committed to women’s health and education.

BHM: Why are Black women disproportionately affected by late diagnoses of uterine and endometrial cancer, and what can be done to address this issue?

Dr. January: Black women are disproportionately affected by late diagnoses of uterine and endometrial cancer due to disparities in healthcare access, socioeconomic status, and implicit biases in the medical system. Studies have shown that Black women are less likely to undergo regular gynecological exams and may experience delays in diagnostic testing and treatment initiation. To address this issue, we need to increase awareness and education about uterine cancer within Black communities, improve access to healthcare, and train healthcare providers in cultural competency to reduce these disparities.

Black women may face longer wait times for appointments, fewer referrals to specialists, and inadequate follow-up care.

Addressing these disparities requires systemic changes, such as expanding healthcare access, improving provider education on implicit biases, and fostering a more inclusive and culturally sensitive healthcare environment.

BHM: What are the most common symptoms of uterine and endometrial cancer that Black women should be aware of, and why might healthcare providers overlook these symptoms?

Dr. January: The most common symptoms of uterine and endometrial cancer include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, and unexplained weight loss. Healthcare providers can sometimes overlook these symptoms due to implicit biases and a tendency to attribute them to benign conditions, especially in Black women. Both patients and providers need to recognize the significance of these symptoms and advocate for thorough evaluations to help in early detection.

BHM: How can tools be improved to ensure better detection rates?

Dr. January: Currently, there is no specific screening tool for endometrial cancer, but tools like transvaginal ultrasound and endometrial biopsy are used for diagnosis when symptoms such as vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain are present. To improve detection rates, we need to develop more sensitive diagnostic methods, incorporate genetic and molecular markers, and ensure regular follow-ups and patient education occur. Research into tailored screening protocols that consider racial and genetic differences can also be beneficial.

BHM: How important is the patient-doctor communication in early detection of uterine/endometrial cancer, and what steps can be taken to improve this for Black women?

Dr. January: Effective patient-doctor communication is crucial for early uterine and endometrial cancer detection. As healthcare providers, we must ensure patients feel comfortable coming to us. We should understand that although patients are adults, we are the experts, and consideration of the social determinants of health is crucial. Improving this includes training healthcare providers in cultural competency, encouraging open and respectful dialogue, and ensuring patients feel heard and understood. Providing patient education materials that are culturally relevant and accessible can also enhance communication and early detection efforts.

BHM: Considering that obesity and diabetes are known risk factors for uterine cancer, how can awareness and management of this risk be better communicated and managed in our community?

Dr. January: Obesity and diabetes are significant risk factors for endometrial cancer, as they can lead to hormonal imbalances and chronic inflammation, which may promote cancer development. Black women have higher rates of obesity and diabetes, contributing to an increased incidence of endometrial cancer. Addressing these risk factors through lifestyle interventions, preventive care, and targeted education is essential for reducing cancer risk.

2015 I developed a text weight loss coaching program in response to my patients. Working with the underserved community, I found uterine cancer in women under the age of 45 who had excess weight. Due to the lack of a screening tool like we have for cervical cancer, I decided to help prevent it through weight loss and preventive health measures. Awareness and management of obesity as a risk factor for uterine cancer can be improved through targeted community outreach programs, culturally sensitive health education, and accessible weight management resources. Healthcare providers should engage with community leaders and organizations to disseminate information and support lifestyle interventions that promote healthy eating and physical activity.

BHM: What are the main factors contributing to the higher mortality rates of uterine and endometrial cancer among Black women compared to other demographics?

Dr. January: Higher mortality rates among Black women are attributed to factors such as later stage at diagnosis, less access to high-quality care, and potential biological differences in tumor behavior. Socioeconomic disparities and implicit biases in treatment recommendations also play significant roles. Improving access to timely and high-quality care, addressing socioeconomic barriers, and conducting research on tumor biology specific to Black women can help reduce these mortality rates.

BHM: Why is it important for Black women to participate in clinical trials and genetic research related to uterine cancer?

Dr. January: Participation in clinical trials and genetic research is vital to ensure that findings apply to diverse populations. It helps in understanding how uterine cancer affects Black women specifically and can lead to the development of tailored treatments and interventions. Encouraging participation requires researchers like myself to build trust, address historical mistrust, and ensure that trials are accessible and inclusive.

The battle against uterine and endometrial cancer in our community is complex; we face unique challenges when it comes to diagnoses and the specific types of cancer we encounter. Let’s continue to raise awareness about what we need to decrease our mortality rates. Every step we take towards more awareness, prevention, and early detection holds the potential to save lives. For all those reasons, we must keep this conversation going and push it beyond our recognition into active engagement to ensure change is documented.

The post Endometrial & Uterine Cancer: Combating Black Women’s Rising Rates appeared first on Black Health Matters.

• We have higher rates of specific diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis than white women. The CDC reported that Black Americans had 31% of cases reported in 2022. Rescripted says that those of us who identify as Black women also contract long-term STIs like herpes simplex more frequently.

But our high rates are not the result of sexual activity alone but also access to quality healthcare, education, and medical racism. Add in the shame and fear of asking a partner to wear protection. We wanted some insight into this sensitive topic and the need for more discussion among women of all ages, so we turned to Dr. Shea Graham, a published researcher, university instructor, licensed psychotherapist, and Clinical Supervisor at Addiction Recovery Systems Supervisor at ARS-Pantops in Central Virginia. She is recognized as an “expert” under Virginia code §19.2-300 and collaborates with courts to provide mental health evaluations.

She offered us some insight into why we need to start talking about sexual health with current and future partners, what happens when we don’t, how STIs impact us emotionally and mentally, and how therapy can help.

BHM: How can we advocate for ourselves when navigating our sexual health?

Dr. Graham: The first thing is to realize that you deserve to have good health, to be in good health, to protect your good health if you have been blessed with it. Sometimes, there is a lot of guilt around safeguarding your health, which means, “Oh, I don’t want to ask my partner to wear a condom because that will signal to him that I don’t trust him.” Or “I don’t want to ask my partner to get tested because that will signal that I don’t trust him even if he says that he is clean.”

The bottom line is that your responsibility is to protect your body and health status. Your partner could be unintentionally misrepresenting his health status.

Most STIs don’t have symptoms, so unless he presents you with his test results, you should operate like every test is positive. So, when you enter a relationship with a new partner, assume they are positive for every STI possible, and if so, what would you do differently? Being an informed partner is one way to empower yourself to protect your health. Communicating is another way to protect your health.

BHM: How can we break down barriers to discussing sexual health and prevention with our partners?

Dr. Graham: When talking to your partner, do it as soon as possible. The moment that you realize that you want to have sex with someone, you should talk about sexual health. It could be as simple as saying, “Hey, when was the last time you were tested?” If you have your test results, feel free to share your test results with your partner. This will also signify your willingness to be vulnerable, which can aid in reciprocating vulnerability; sometimes, you must initiate discussion.

Also, within our community, because there is such a heavy stigma around STIs, most people feel ashamed even just mentioning it.

Introduce the health discussion and frame it in a way that allows your partner to know that you are asking these questions because, as an adult, it is your responsibility to know your medical status and to protect yourself against STIs.

It is okay to open the conversation by acknowledging how uncomfortable the topic can be, but it is crucial to push through and address the matter to protect your and your partner’s health. So, start the conversation with honesty, and hopefully, if your partner is serious about health and sexual health, they will be open to the discussion.

Ladies, it is a red flag if you start a sexual health conversation and your partner is dismissive. That is a massive red flag, and you should not ignore it. You should take a step back and examine if this is a person you want to trust your body with and risk your health for.

So, communicate, get tested, advocate for yourself, and sit with those uncomfortable feelings. Just because something is uncomfortable does not mean you should avoid it.

BHM: What role does emotional well-being play in managing STIs?

Emotional well-being plays a huge part because every human experience has that emotional undertone. It would be impossible to go through any stage in life without experiencing some emotion: the human experience. Sometimes, when things happen to us, our bodies hold onto that. If a trauma happens or something significant happens, our initial response is what our body does. So, our initial response is our stomach may turn, or something will happen, and we will get hot; that’s our nervous system at play, our fight, flight freeze response.

Once our bodies respond, our mind starts to make sense of it. Once our mind starts to process these things, our emotions respond. You can’t have one without the other. Sometimes, your body will respond, and there is such fragmentation; for some people, their minds, bodies, and spirits are fragmented. It can be difficult for these people to understand what is happening around them; their bodies will respond, and they won’t know why. They are in this constant state of fight, flight, freeze, and that is when seeing a therapist can help. You can process stressors with a professional who can give you the coping skills to either deal with your reality or who can help you construct a narrative to take those fragmented pieces of trauma and put them together in a way that is empowering to you.

BHM: Is there a way to make therapy a more prominent option for those living with STIs?

Dr. Graham: One of the central tenets of talk therapy is self-determination. The client enters therapy, and then the therapist provides the service. If you are thinking that you can push a loved one into treatment so that they can get the help that they need, that is not going to be helpful. For those seeking treatment, there are resources to find a qualified therapist in your area. The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) is an excellent platform to find a certified therapist in your area to process these things with. Not every therapist is qualified or trained to support you in an affirming way. Some therapists have not done the necessary work to challenge their own biases, and they may pass negative judgment on your medical situation.

BHM: When Black women receive STI diagnoses, how can they address the internalized shame that they may feel?

Dr. Graham: Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy solution. My suggestion would be to start to journal about the untruths that you internalize that you carry as it relates to your diagnosis. Then, bring those notes to therapy to process and challenge them. A great therapeutic intervention called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps my clients identify, challenge, and replace negative thoughts about their reality.

BHM: What advice would you give to someone looking for ways to manage their STI diagnosis as it relates to their psychological and social wellness?

Dr. Graham: Know that you are not alone. You do not have to cope with this new diagnosis by yourself. There are support groups, and once you are diagnosed, if you utilize a wraparound clinic along with your diagnosis, your provider should give you resources so that you can get linked to a nonprofit or a community board in your area. Start attending those weekly support groups. If you are in an underserved area, meaning you are not provided with these resources, you can attend a NAMI support group. You can also do individual therapy with a certified sex therapist; I cannot stress that enough; if you want to talk about STIs and don’t want to be judged by your therapist, work with someone who understands that these things happen to humans. You are not any less human or any less deserving of evidence-based care simply because of a medical diagnosis. Remember that awareness and action are great tools in managing an STI or proper prevention.

To end things off, we’d like to leave you with one of Dr. Graham’s favorite phrases: “Emotions are wonderful consultants; they are terrible CEOs, and they should not be calling the shots.” Don’t be afraid to break the silence regarding your sexual health and to care for yourself in all ways, including medical and psychological services.

The post The High Price Black Women Pay For STIs appeared first on Black Health Matters.

But her perspective informed her story and made her an accomplished storyteller today. Having been diagnosed with lupus at 30, Alford has made adjustments, like learning to say no, but she can still define success on her terms.

Click to listen to our chat or read the transcript of our chat below:

00:00

Hi, everybody. I’m Corynne Corbett, editorial director of Black Health Matter, and I have the pleasure of chatting with an award-winning journalist, Natasha S. Alford, about her memoir, American Negra. Today, I want to focus on cultural issues, identity, hair, and health issues.

What were your challenges with cultural identity and growing up as a Puerto Rican/Black girl in Syracuse, New York.?

00:39

First, Corynne, thank you for having me on; I’m so honored to join you all. And you know, health is a part of this story, both from a cultural and identity perspective and just literally talking about physical health.

This story really highlights what it is like to grow up between two cultures. Growing up in a multicultural family, you’re often told you are both. In my case, I had very supportive parents. They’re like, you know, you are an African American Girl, you’re a Puerto Rican girl, nobody can take that away from you.

But I found that our society was not always accepting of the diversity within those cultures. And so there were a lot of people who sometimes questioned how I could be Latina. Some people asked me to sort of perform my identity; they wanted to know if I could speak Spanish or if I could cook certain foods.

And in all the African American side, although I was generally welcomed, right, most people saw me as a black girl, there were still questions about, you know, just what was my ethnic makeup? So I got a lot of questions of, you know, what are you, and people will look at my hair and be like, are you mixed? Are you something else?

So when you grow up with those questions constantly being thrown at you so early in life, you start to ask the question of yourself, what am I can I truly be 100% of both of these cultures. And so American Negra is the story of finding myself and my voice, but also finding my way as a young person, particularly regarding health and accepting what it means to live a healthy life.

2:19

Yeah, and that’s so important just finding yourself and I think everyone is finding yourself but when you also layer in health, culture and identity, that you know that’s a lot of things that add on to finding yourself right. So tell us how that played out in your hair story and how others saw you both in a Latina in the back cultures and how you saw yourself?

3:18

Hair is such a complex issue. It is an issue that can sometimes spark confidence, if you love the way you look you sort of move through the world in a different way. But if you lack confidence, that can also show up, you or question yourself, that can also show up when it comes to hair. Growing up as an African American and a Latina girl, what I found is that in one culture that my hair texture was celebrated. It was seen as exotic it was seen and long, curly, black hair, but when I was on the other side and looking at Spanish language media, I always saw straight hair. I always hair that was very, very long and Eurocentric, that was the standard of beauty. So in that culture, the texture of my hair, the African influence, the descendency, it would be more likely that me perming my hair would make me fit in.

4:33

So, looking back, what do you wish you could have told your younger self?

5:00

I see that I actually am most beautiful when I’m just myself. You know, I’m most comfortable, I’m able to move through the world with a freedom that I didn’t have before when I was trying to conform, whether it be with hair, or and just sort of presenting myself a certain way culturally.

And so yeah, I think it would be not to waste an ounce of time and that you know, there’s so many aspects of our society that want us to feel shame about our bodies about the way that we look. So we will spend money so we will we will change and there’s such power and taking back that narrative and saying I love myself the way I am.

5:41

So, I’ve got to tell you I was recently just last weekend at the National Black Writers Convention, no, National Black Writers Conference, and a woman, that was a vendor there, said, I want to give you a book recommendation American Negra, and she said, she loved it because she’s a Black woman married to a Panamanian man. And she has daughters. She said that she felt like this was something that she could see. She could give it to her daughters. As an example of, you know, this is a reflection of, you know, something that you can be proud of. This is how you can go up to live biculturally. And she was really, really excited about it. She was like this: this woman who wrote this book, she went to Harvard, you should read it. I said I’m reading, so she was, she’s issues, really excited about it. So you know, you are making an impact, and lots of different spaces.

So, let’s talk about your time at Harvard and how culture and identity evolved while you were there.

6:48

I am blown away, and I can’t believe that it is amazing.

07:10

Well, first, I have to acknowledge that the story is incredible. So thank you to that woman for being, you know, an ambassador for the book. That’s exactly why I wrote it in the sense of, even if you don’t have the exact ethnic background that I have, or you know, cultural background, that people who haven’t felt seen and representations of blackness and Latino ness and American identity see themselves. You know, the book explores what it means to go to a place and to learn that you belong. A lot of my struggles at Harvard, in some ways, were centered around belonging and centered around deservingness. There was a part of me, I think, this duality that WEB DuBois often talked about. There was a part of me that felt that I certainly belonged there.

But there was this other part of me that felt that I still had to prove I belonged there. And so it created a lot of pressure for me. Sometimes, academic insecurity, holding back in class, not using my voice, and not raising my hand are things that I think a lot of young people can relate to if they’re first or second-generation going to college. And so what American Negra does is it shows the journey of finding your voice, finding your confidence, you know, shedding imposter syndrome, and accepting your talents and gifts in that space. And one of the reasons I was able to do that was because of the Harvard Black community, which is a very strong community, a very deep-rooted community that has been around since really the beginning of the college. Black people have always been at Harvard. Harvard tragically built its institution in many ways off of the wealth of slave labor. And so even indirectly, you know, our existence is a part of this institution in this really interesting way, a really sad way. And yet, there have been so many brilliant scholars who’ve come through this place. And so what I wanted to show in American NACADA was our belonging. There’s a lot of conversation right now about DEI. And you know, whether, when people say DEI, they’re referring to Black people, even though DEI benefits so many, but it’s this question of do we deserve what we have, and I think the book really shows, both historically and in my personal story, what it means to know that you belong someplace and know that you deserve to be there.

9:35

Absolutely, absolutely. Now, let’s talk about the Dominican Republic for a minute. What did your time in the Dr. Contribute to your thoughts about being an Afro Latina?

9:53

Readers who see American Negra will see that the Dominican Republic was a turning point for me. I remember landing It was in 2005, the summer of 2005. And, or it was the summer of 2005 or 2006, I have to double-check. But when I got there, I was completely blown away by how many brown-skinned people were there. And it’s not brown in the sense of, you know, the way that we talk about Latina that in the US, we think of sort of tan. So, with just little hints of color, I saw black people everywhere. I saw Afro-descendants everywhere. They were speaking Spanish, you know, they were born and raised in the Dominican Republic. And many of them saw me and assumed that I was Dominican. And so, for the first time in my life, I’m experiencing what it is to blend in as a Latina, to sort of fit in not to be seen as another just because I’m black, but for people to assume just from looking at me that I must be one of them. So I talk in the book about what that does to me, you know, on an emotional level, but also intellectually, this sort of curiosity that it sparks for me to say, Okay, wait a second, I’ve been hearing that Black people have been across the diaspora for years, right, that there were boats that stopped in all these places. But what does it mean to really know that history? How are we connected? But also, what ways are we divided. And so I also learned a bit about the country’s relationship to Haiti. And times when, you know, the relationship was actually really devastating and violent. And so I talked about that in the book as well, which, you know, in modern times, is obviously very relevant to a lot of what we’re seeing in the news right now.

11:34

Yes absolutely so now let’s talk about your health receiving a Lupus diagnosis tell us that story.

11:48

Well, I was just turning 30, or I had just turned 30 years old. And when you turn 30, it’s a it’s a new phase of adulthood, but you’re still pretty young, right, there’s still some assumptions that you make about what it means to be a 30 year old. And so when I got this diagnosis, completely unexpected, you know, I was running in the gym one day and unable to move my wrists. All of a sudden, it felt like my legs were heavy weights with sandbags, tied to them. It took me a while to realize I even had to go to the doctor because I learned so early that the doctors only to be gone to when it’s an emergency. Other than that, you push through the pain. That’s the sort of culture that I came from. That was the kind of upbringing that I had and watching my parents and, you know, my family and the examples around me.

So by the time I went to the doctor, I was blindsided when I was told that I had lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune condition in which your immune system attacks healthy cells. So rather than attacking the invaders, it’s attacking healthy cells that can cause joint damage, organ damage, sometimes it manifests in skin rashes and other pains in the body.

But there’s also a mental toll, depression, and anxiety that comes with having an illness like this because your body is under attack, and it is so unpredictable, even with the different ways that you can manage it. And so what American Negra does is it takes you inside the experience of getting a diagnosis like this, but also what it means to get a diagnosis when you’re at the peak of your career, the right things are about to take off.

You know, you have high expectations for yourself, and how do you manage having big dreams with having a big illness? And so you know, it’s not easy; the spoiler is that it took me a while to accept it took me over a year before I really committed to taking my medication to go into the doctor to taking care of myself. And there were consequences to that which I do talk about but ultimately, the journey of acceptance was a really powerful one because then it allowed me to create a new normal for myself that didn’t require me sacrificing my health in order to succeed.

14:10

It’s an it’s, so let’s talk about lupus not just in the black community. It is also in the Latino community. It is yet so. So, raising awareness of this American mega is a vehicle that raises awareness about the prevalence of lupus is also an opportunity to discuss having lupus because also in our communities, we don’t talk about having autoimmune diseases. You know we keep quiet about these things because that’s our culture.

14:24

Yes

14:55

Yes, and I think that it’s a larger field. Share of American culture is that we put our work first, our health comes second, and there’s a lot of shame and stigma around being a person with a chronic illness because it begs the question, well, what can you do? How productive can you be? Can you still work? And so much of our value in this country is defined by what we do for work. So there’s a reeducation, I think that needs to happen. And you’re right that I’m trying to raise awareness about how this disproportionately affects different communities. First and foremost, lupus disproportionately affects women. So that’s just like across the board: women are more likely to get lupus. But then, when you look at race and the way that we categorize race, generally, in the United States, black women are three times more likely to get lupus than our white female counterparts. Hispanic women are also more likely to get lupus. And one of the questions I post in the book, it’s just because of the way that we track race, ethnicity, you know, for the black Latina, I don’t know what the exact numbers are, I’m not sure that anybody’s looking to see how we are affected by lupus, but they should certainly ask the question. And because of that, you know, we, as Black women, are already facing all of these stressors, right? You look at Black maternal mortality rates, you look at our rates of heart disease, you look at our rates of breast cancer. And so it’s yet another burden that we have to carry, which I think highlights the need for us to be open about it and talk about how we’re coping and getting through to lean on each other. And not feel shame because this is not something we asked for. There’s nothing that we did to deserve lupus, but we do deserve to live rich, meaningful, healthy lives, even despite having this illness. And so I hope to break the stigma by being so public about it at this young age.

16:10

Right. And so let’s talk about caring for yourself. How are you caring for yourself as you continue with your career? What adjustments are you making? Because it’s not that your life has stopped, right? But you make adjustments, and you carry on?

Yeah, certainly has it. Yeah. As the mother of a toddler, you know, between this book, being on CNN, and working at the Grio, it definitely has gone on. Life is going on. You know, I think the big difference between me now and before is that I know how to say no, I didn’t know how to say no before, anytime I was invited to do something. Anytime I had a chance to take on more projects, I did more work. I was doing it because that was how I was cultivated and acculturated, you know, to think that you have to grind and take every opportunity and make the most of it. Now, it’s all about quality over quantity, you know, the quality of my experiences, the quality of my relationships, the quality of the work I’m doing. That’s what matters more than squeezing everything I can into a day. And so even with this book tour for American Negra, we did, you know, the northeast, we went to all these cities DC, Boston, New York, Montclair, New Jersey, Syracuse, my hometown, Rochester, but I built in a pause, because I said, you know, the temptation will be to run myself down to the ground promoting this book. But I have to be a living example of what it means to care for yourself. And the truth is, I’m going to need a break. And so we will pick up the rest of the tour. We’ll go to the south. I’m going to Chicago next month. But I needed to live out those values even as I was doing something like promoting a book where I talked about having lupus.

18:55

[Fo] young women who are growing up in areas where not many people who look like them have their cultures and identities questioned. What should they do?

20:10

Well, I think the first step is realizing you’re not alone. Wherever you are in the world, you are not alone. There’s somebody who shares your experience. And so, even in this digital world where we have all these connections, it is very easy to feel isolated. And so I encourage you to find a community where you can find others who share your experience. That’s the first thing. But I think the second thing is that finding who you are is layered. There’s who you are at work, the jobs you enjoy, and the career you want. There’s also who you are in terms of your family story. One of the things I did in writing American Negrae was go and get genealogy assessments done. So I learned about my ancestry things that I had gone years, never knowing about my family. We were connected to a plantation in Darlington, South Carolina, and my ancestor was enslaved there. My ancestors in Puerto Rico worked in sugarcane fields, and you know, essentially me, these big, rich business owners even richer, but those were the histories that I had been denied. Because, you know, how often are you born and you only know your immediate family’s history. And so it was something about learning where it came from that was so powerful, and it made me feel so much more empowered. Again, it was much more like I belonged as an American; I deserved to be here and proud of what my family has contributed. So I encourage people to get to know themselves and maybe do some of that deeper work to discover your family story and your story. I think that it helps you to see yourself in context in a different way.

22:07
But it, it’s been a joy to talk with you. Thank you so much for having me. I want to encourage all your listeners to follow me I’m right on Instagram, it’s Natasha S. Alford, American negative also has its own Instagram account where we’re posting pictures from book tour events, people’s different reviews. It’s just its really community building is what we’re doing with this book. And you can learn more if you go to AmericanNegra.com is just N E G RA. But we are online and we’re doing this tour we’re traveling around the country went to Puerto Rico for an event. So if you don’t come to see me in person in person, you can always go online, and of course, you can get the book on Amazon, where it is a top book in African American history right now, even four weeks after it’s released. So go ahead and check it out and leave us a review, too. You too.

The post Natasha S. Alford: On Culture, Identity, Health, Hair and Her Book, American Negra appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Their collaboration began earlier this week when the two penned a powerful essay in Time entitled We Shouldn’t Have to be Willing to Die to Give Birth in the United States. Among the facts shared in their piece is that 3.400 women have died since Serena and Elaine had their children. The CDC reports that Black women are three times more likely to die during or after childbirth. But the two don’t want to frame this as only a problem faced by Black women or poor women. (However, here, that is our primary concern.)

The roots of Birth Fund began with Welteroth’s desire to give back. According to Afrotech, she started with a birthday fundraiser in December 2013. The Birth Fund is a coalition of Founding Family Funders who raised $16,000 to support out-of-pocket midwifery care for two families at Kindred Space LA.

The two believe that providing access to midwives may be one way to prevent the staggering maternal death rate in our country. Check out this conversation with Jennie Joseph to learn more about the maternal health crisis.

The Founding Family Funders include John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Kelly Rowland, Abby Phillip, Ayesha Curry, Savannah James, Karlie Kloss, and Ashley Graham.

You don’t have to be a celebrity to contribute to Birth Fund, but they will match any contribution up to the first $100,000.

The post Elaine Welteroth & Serena Williams Launch The Birth Fund appeared first on Black Health Matters.

PCOS Explained

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)is a hormonal condition, it consists of an imbalance that occurs when the ovaries produce excessive androgens, these are sex hormones that contribute to puberty, reproductive health, and body development according to The Cleveland Clinic. Although males produce more androgens, they are produced by both males and females. This excessive production can lead to imbalanced reproductive hormones.

What are the Symptoms?

The Mayo Clinic has provided insight into the symptoms of PCOS, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should visit your healthcare provider. PCOS symptoms include the following:

• Irregular periods, having few menstrual periods or having periods that are not regular are common signs of PCOS.
• Excessively lengthy periods, having periods that last for many days or longer than is typical for a period can be a cause for concern.
• Fertility issues.
• Too much androgen, elevated levels of the hormone androgen may result in excess facial and body hair, this is called hirsutism. High androgen levels can contribute to male-pattern baldness and severe acne as well.
•  Polycystic ovaries, the ovaries might become bigger, and many follicles containing immature eggs may develop around the edge of the ovaries. This can contribute to cysts and difficulties with the function of the ovaries.

Additionally, PCOS can be a risk factor for other complications in a woman’s life. The Mayo Clinic has created a list of complications that can occur for women diagnosed with PCOS, the list includes:

• Infertility.
• Gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.
•  Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, this is a severe liver inflammation caused by fat buildup in the liver.
• Miscarriage or premature birth.
•  Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
• Sleep apnea
•  Metabolic syndrome, this is a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and unhealthy cholesterol or triglyceride levels that significantly increase one’s risk of heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease.
•  Depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
• Endometrial cancer, this is cancer of the uterine lining.

Hirsutism

According to the Resilient Sisterhood Project, Black women with PCOS are shown to have higher rates of hirsutism, insulin resistance, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, high blood sugar and a higher risk or cardiovascular disease or metabolic syndrome. People with PCOS hirsutism typically have course, visible, dark hairs growing in these parts of the body. These hairs are commonly called androgenic. Many women select from the following methods to manage their hair growth:

Manual removal, such as shaving, plucking, or waxing.

* Depilatory agents, such as topical gels, lotions, or hair removal creams.

* Hormonal medications, such as birth control pills that boost estrogen levels and anti-androgen drugs that can decrease testosterone levels.

* Electrolysis, this technique kills the growth center of a hair with electricity.

* Laser hair reduction, this kills hair with a laser, it has been proven to work best on fair-skinned people with very dark hair. (Editor’s note To avoid an adverse reaction you must go to a board-certified dermatologist experienced with dark skin that has a laser designed for use for dark skin).

If you are experiencing signs of hirsutism , this is not enough to equate to a direct PCOS diagnosis, we urge you to visit your healthcare providers to get a thorough understanding of your symptoms, this can aid in proper diagnoses regarding PCOS or other conditions.

Treating Your PCOS

Since PCOS does not have a cure, treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and complications that concern patients, these focal points can be different for every individual. This could include infertility, hirsutism, acne, or obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic. Lifestyle changes and medication may be suggested for patients to achieve their health goals. To regulate periods and ovulation, healthcare providers may recommend some of the following options:

•  A combination of birth control pills, that contain both estrogen and progestin decrease androgen production and regulate estrogen. Regulating these hormones can lower the risk of endometrial cancer and lessen symptoms associated with PCOS.
• Progestin therapy, taking progestin for 10 to 14 days every 1 to 2 months can regulate periods and protect women against endometrial cancer.
•  Clomiphene, this oral anti-estrogen medication is taken during the first part of a woman’s menstrual cycle, it can help with ovulation and the process of getting pregnant.
• Letrozole (Femara), this breast cancer treatment can work to stimulate the ovaries.
• Metformin, this medicine for type 2 diabetes that can be taken orally improves insulin resistance and lowers insulin levels.
• Patients can also discuss topical gels, creams, and medications to reduce the speed of excessive hair growth and the effects that high androgen levels can have on the skin.

Navigating life with PCOS can certainly be tough and many women suffer mentally as they struggle to find support in an experience that can be very isolating. Here at BHM, we want to remind you that you are not alone, and we urge you to find support whether it be from healthcare providers, friends, family, therapists, other women living with this condition, or a combination of all these things.The Resilient Sisterhood Project has reported the experiences of many black women with PCOS who have felt invisible and invalidated when seeking help from medical practitioners. Others have had their symptoms dismissed. been bullied about their weight  instead of the root cause of their issues.

It is imperative that Black woman try their absolute best to research their doctors, read patient reviews, and remain confident in their knowledge of their experiences and the questions that they are seeking answers for. We don’t deserve to be profiled or dismissed when we are trying to take care of our health, advocating for ourselves is one of the keys to attaining proper healthcare and holding our healthcare providers accountable

If you happen to have PCOS, your story and experiences are valuable. Remember to always advocate for yourself and your health and have compassion for yourself as you go through this journey.

The post How Does PCOS Impact Your Health? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo and Marcia Cole – Fourth Phase

Fourth Phase is an exceptional company founded by Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo and Marcia Cole. The duo are good friends and philanthropists and decided to combine their skills from their former careers as magazine and digital editors. Much of the inspiration for Fourth Phase came from a trip Nana took to Ghana; there, she saw a gap in the attentiveness and care provided for new mothers. At the time, Nana and Marcia were already heavily involved in women’s maternal and reproductive care. As Nana held events to provide free postpartum care packages to women in Ghana, Marcia launched a non-profit to deliver sanitary napkins to homeless shelters. From their shared interests and diligent research, Fourth Phase was launched in 2021.

Fourth Phase offers a range of postpartum care boxes perfectly tailored to different birthing needs. Most of the products on the website are below $200 and provide breastfeeding, c-section, mental well-being, and pelvic care kits. Fourth Phase products are cruelty-free, phthalate-free, organic, and sustainably sourced. Nana and Marcia have worked hard to create a support system for mothers and expectant mothers that holistically targets maternal health, highlighting the importance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Latham Thomas – Mama Glow

After giving birth to her son Fulano in 2003, Latham Thomas made it her mission to help women reclaim birth. Latham is a graduate of Columbia University and The Insititute for Integrative Nutrition. She is a maternity lifestyle maven, a world-renowned wellness leader, and a master-birth doula. With her impressive wellness background, it was only right that Latham founded Mama Glow. Based in New York City, Mama Glow delivers an array of offerings for women and families along the paths of fertility, pregnancy, and new motherhood to provide women with confidence and maternal satisfaction. Mama Glow provides resources that nurture the wellness of women from conception to delivery; their services include:

• Doula packages.
• Yoga packages.
• Personal development and lifestyle coaching.
• Spirit, self-care, and ritual packages.
• Wellness residency.
• Corporate consulting.
• Training and gatherings.

Mama Glow takes holistic care to an entirely new level as the company works to bridge gaps in maternal care in all spaces, including the workplace. Latham Thomas has successfully designed a safe space that helps mothers and expectant mothers stand in power and embrace motherhood for its beauty and radiance.

Kimberly Allers – Irth 

Kimberly Allers is an award-winning journalist, speaker, advocate, and entrepreneur who deserves recognition for her innovative stride toward deconstructing racism and bias in maternity and infant care and equalizing the country’s birthing experiences. She created Irth, the only app where you can find prenatal, birthing, postpartum, and pediatric care reviews from other Black and brown parents.

Kimberly’s passion for Black maternal health is intricately connected to her experience. She had a firsthand encounter with the bias in American maternal health care. After completing her master’s degree at Columbia University, Kimberly gave birth to her first child at a hospital that was supposed to be one of the best in New York City. Her experience there did not live up to her expectations. She felt disrespected, ignored, traumatized, and violated. Unfortunately, Kimberly’s experience is shared by many Black women, and we tend to wonder how hospitals with such high ratings can continue to fail us. Well, Kimberly has the answer: it is biased; implicit bias is often cast onto Black women as we try to navigate our health and wellness, especially during the journey to motherhood.

Kimberly believes that everyone deserves an empowered birth experience where they are honored and respected for who they are. To help bring this belief to reality, she created the Irth app. With a platform like “Yelp,” you can search for reviews regarding prenatal, postpartum, pediatric, or birth care. Once you have searched, you will see reviews from Black and brown parents that can aid your search for good healthcare. Kimberly has set a new standard for healthcare, focusing on the importance of representation in the navigational process. Irth can be downloaded from the App Store or on Google Play.

Courtney S. Hall – Baby Bump Bliss

Courtney S. Hall earned her undergraduate degree in Social Work from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and her master’s degree from the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Courtney is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate, a Certified Birth Doula, and a Certified Mindfulness-Informed Professional. Amidst her passion for social work and mental health, Courtney also has a passion for maternal health and helping couples. She is an advocate as she provides emotional and physical support to families. After experiencing her journey to motherhood, she realized that the mental health of women before, during, and after pregnancy is important. To contribute to the world of maternal health, Courtney designed Bump.Baby.Bliss. 

Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Bump.Baby.Bliss. is a one-stop shop for all your pre and postpartum needs. The studio offers a comprehensive range of services, including the following: 

• 2D, 3D, and 4D ultrasounds. 
• Early DNA gender testing. 
• Doula support. 
• Placenta encapsulation. 
• Perinatal therapy. 
• Childbirth classes. 
• Breastfeeding assistance. 
• Mentorship  

Through her business, Courtney has provided confidence and support for families during all stages of the journey to having children. She has increased accessibility and awareness to compassionate, skilled doula and counseling care. 

Kimberly Durdin and Allegra Hill – Kindred Space LA 

Kimberly Durdin is a Licensed Midwife, Internationally Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, Childbirth Educator, and Doula Trainer. She has over 29 years of experience in her work, but she credits a lot of her learning experiences to her six children and five grandbabies. Over the last 29 years, Kimberly has interwoven her life with the lives of thousands of families throughout New York City, Washington DC Metro Area, and Los Angeles. Her skilled background in providing lactation care, postpartum support, groups, counseling, childbirth education, labor support, and mentorship speaks volumes regarding her impact on the Black maternal health community. Her non-profit, the Birthing People Foundation, empowers people of color by providing free and low-cost education, training, and certification about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, such as doulas, childbirth educators, lactation consultants, birth assistants, and midwives. With her extensive resume, Kimberly is directly addressing the maternal and infant health disparities in communities of color and restoring awareness and comfortability regarding Black and brown people being wellness providers.

Allegra Hill is a Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife, and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant. She began her journey as a doula in 2010. She is the co-owner of the Birthing People Foundation, along with her close friend, Kimberly Durdin. She has trained and mentored birth doulas since 2013. She uses her extensive knowledge and training in nonviolent communication, conflict resolution, early child development, and cultural competency in all areas of her work.

Allegra and Kimberly started Kindred Space LA. Their business is unique and impactful as they provide top-notch midwifery services. They provide families with prenatal and postpartum care and aid in preparing for birth and life with a newborn. Those who choose Kindred Space LA receive excellent care and a warm and welcoming community. Kimberly and Allegra have supported each other through their births and big life milestones, and they have developed a deep sisterhood rooted in love. They share that joy with their clients as they provide comfort and community during the biggest transitions in their lives.

These five entrepreneurs are creating history with their businesses and bridging the gap in maternal healthcare for Black women. These women have been able to understand and create impactful services that uplift and support Black mothers. They are building legacies, and with their contributions, a brighter future for Black maternal health will be a reality.

The post Looking for Maternal Resources?These Entrepreneurs Are Making a Difference appeared first on Black Health Matters.

BHM: When did you first notice the symptoms of HS, and how did it impact your life?

Cydney Carter: My symptoms started somewhere around the age of 12; around that prepubescent time is when I began noticing bumps on my inner thighs, and I had no idea what was happening to my body. I remember that for a while, I kept it to myself, but sometimes it would get so painful that I had to tell my mom.

BHM: How long did it take you to receive an accurate diagnosis?

Cydney Carter: I didn’t get diagnosed until around 2014 or 2015; at that time, I was a junior in high school. There was a 7-year gap between getting the symptoms and then getting diagnosed with HS.

BHM: Have you made any lifestyle modifications to manage your HS symptoms, and if so, what would you recommend to your fellow HS warriors?

Cydney Carter: the most significant lifestyle adjustment I have made thus far is ensuring that I am aware of the things that put me in a stressful environment. I know stress is a trigger for me, and life is just life sometimes, and you can’t help it. When my HS was at its worst, I was enduring so much trauma and mental overload. So now, I try to do my best to make sure that I am in open communication with my partner about my HS flares. I try to journal if I can about how I feel, and honestly, just talking about it has helped me in such a fantastic way. That is the advice I would give: find somebody you can talk about this with because keeping it to ourselves for so long is stressful, contributing to more flares. We all must have a safe space or person to talk about HS with.

BHM: How can people support their loved ones living with HS?

Cydney Carter: The best way to support someone living with HS is not to judge them. They can remind them that the scars on their body don’t define who they are and that they are beautiful. I think society is pushing so many cosmetic surgeries and procedures, and that is something that people with HS put in the back of their brains. We have already felt like we have imperfect bodies, so with society right now and the place we are in, it is essential to have someone in your corner who constantly reminds you and gives you that reassurance that you are perfect the way you are.

BHM: What is your opinion on the treatments available for HS?

Cydney Carter: I think learning and educating myself on what antibiotics do for those living with HS has empowered me to learn more about other treatment options. Initially, I thought antibiotics were solely used to treat infections, but they hold an anti-inflammatory property. So, educating myself more about the treatment options has given me more options as a patient and enabled me not to be afraid of everything. It is worth giving it a shot if it will lighten up the symptoms and ease your HS.

BHM: Do you think there is a lack of representation regarding dermatologists and doctors speaking about the condition and how it can be presented in patients?

Cydney Carter: Absolutely, there is so much stigma around the HS community about it being a black person’s disease, and honestly, the more we learn about HS, the more we see that it does not discriminate. The more we learn, the more I push to ensure we have inclusivity and the proper representation on all fronts, including dermatologists, patient care, and even the ER techs. So many people don’t talk about their HS until there is an emergency and they are sitting in an emergency room. We want to ensure we have the representation of doctors who know what HS is, not just in a dermatologist’s office but in the emergency room. We have so much work to do. We want to empower and educate HS patients so they don’t feel less than or unimportant as they may encounter doctors who don’t know about HS. Then, we also ensure we reach those doctors, dermatologists, and surgeons who can help us later in our journey.

BHM: When did you begin your journey on social media, and how has your impact changed your perspective on HS?

Cydney Carter: I began sharing my journey with HS about two and a half years ago. I was already sharing parts of my life on social media, but I felt like there was such a massive part of me that I was hiding. I would have to take pictures in certain positions; I didn’t want to show flares, and I didn’t want anyone to know what I was dealing with. I remember one day feeling like I did not want to do it anymore; I did not want to keep hiding a huge part of my life and myself. I remember sharing pictures and videos of my flares on TikTok, and before I knew it, there were so many people in the comments, and organically, it grew. Now that I have more followers, it is bigger than me. God has placed a responsibility on me to help bring awareness, and I am passionate about learning about HS. It turned from something I hid for so long and became my lifelong purpose.

HS is a very complex condition, but there is an opportunity for progress within that complexity. According to MedlinePlus, HS affects at least 1 in 100 people, and although it commonly starts during puberty, it can be seen in people of all ages. Those living with HS may experience a variety of symptoms and different progression rates.

By properly understanding HS and who it impacts, patients can advocate for continued research and clinical trials while uplifting the voices of those living with the condition as we strive toward finding more treatment options and a possible cure.

If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of HS, please seek medical attention. Raising awareness and limiting the fear surrounding HS is possible; we can take it one conversation at a time. To learn more about the condition, check out our story, Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Removing the Stigma and Understanding the Condition.

The post Living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Cydney Carter Shares Her Story appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Why The Terms Advanced Maternal Age and Geriatric Pregnancy Are Used

The most significant decline in women’s fertility happens in our mid-to-late 30s. This means that the quality and quantity of eggs within our ovaries decrease with age. Although these things can make pregnancy after 35 seem more challenging, having a healthy and happy pregnancy after 35 is possible.

Black Women and Maternal Health Risks

According to the CDC, we are three times more likely to pass away from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The Mayo Clinic reported that for Black women 25 and older, pregnancy-related mortality is nearly four times higher than it is for their white counterparts. This gap in mortality can be attributed to many things, including quality healthcare, chronic conditions, implicit bias, and structural racism.

Editor’s Note: This is one of the reasons the Birth Justice movement is vital in our community. It is trying to save lives. Check out this critical interview with Jennie Joseph, Founder of Commonsense Childbirth. 

What Are the Risk Factors?

AMA pregnancies can include numerous risk factors. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the risk of the following may be increased:

• Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure, protein in urine, swelling, headaches, and blurred vision.
•  Gestational diabetes is a condition in which women develop high blood sugar during pregnancy.
• Premature birth is when a birth takes place before the 37th week of pregnancy.
• Low birth weight is when babies weigh less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces.
•  Miscarriage is the loss of a fetus before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Genetic disorders: with age, the chances of having a child with conditions such as Down syndrome increase.
• Cesarean section (c-section) is the delivery of a baby through surgical incisions made in the abdomen and uterus.
• Stillbirth is when a fetus is lost after the 20th week of pregnancy.

How We Should Take Care of Ourselves If We Are Pregnant After 35

A significant aspect of a healthy AMA pregnancy is how we look after ourselves and lean on our support systems. According to the Cleveland Clinic, we can do a few things to make the journey much easier. These include:

• Maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy.
• Attend all prenatal appointments and screenings.
• Exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet.
• Reduce stress and maintain a good sleep schedule.
• Manage any preexisting or new pregnancy conditions.

When creating an exercise and diet plan, we should consult with our healthcare professionals to ensure their practices are safe for us and our babies.

Choosing Our Prepartum and Postpartum Team

An AMA pregnancy can be an exciting journey requiring a trusted team of medical professionals. We will most likely encounter obstetrician-gynecologists and nurse practitioners, but all medical teams are not identical, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). During an AMA pregnancy, our obstetric care team can consist of many people besides an ob-gyn. For instance, midwives, doulas, and specialists may also be helpful. This process is holistic, and medical care teams are designed to provide information and support for us. This can extend to postpartum care, as mending the effects of pregnancy and its potential complications can be long-term.

Check out this Decision Decoder story for more information on choosing a birth team.

We Can’t Forget to Advocate for Ourselves

The CDC suggests taking action if any of the following occurs during pregnancy after 35:

• Talk to a healthcare provider if anything does not feel right.
• Know and seek immediate care if experiencing any urgent warning signs such as severe headaches, extreme swelling, complications with breathing, heavy vaginal bleeding or discharge, extreme fatigue, and more.
• Share recent pregnancy history during each medical care visit for up to one year after delivery.
• Connect with healthcare and social support systems during all stages of pregnancy, including postpartum.

If there are any complications within your pregnancy journey, these tips can help you to get ahead of the complications, especially if they are life-threatening.

Now that caution has been dispersed, we should remember that Advanced Maternal Age pregnancy is not only warning signs and frightful tales. It is also a journey of life lessons and joy. Giving birth after 35 is amazing, and it is possible with proper practices and care. So, hold your head high and embrace the journey.

The post Are You Pregnant After 35? Here’s What You Need to Know appeared first on Black Health Matters.

What Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a condition that occurs when painful lumps and bumps begin to form under the skin, according to the Mayo Clinic. When HS appears, it typically flares in places where skin rubs together. Common areas, including the armpits, groin, breasts, and buttocks, often occur where hair follicles become blocked and inflamed.

The flares are compounded when the bumps or abscesses burst and blood and pus leak. HS bumps may heal slowly and become recurring. As a result, those with the condition could experience scarring. When the abscesses recur in the same area, the scarring may progress to tunneling when the sinus track beneath the skin is filled with pus.

We spoke with Dr. Kenyatta Mireku, a board-certified dermatologist, who provided insight on HS and common misconceptions.

BHM: What do dermatologists look for to reach an HS diagnosis?

Dr. Mireku: We look for recurrent painful lesions such as nodules, abscesses, and tunnels in intertriginous (skin folds) and creased areas such as the axillae (underarm), buttocks, breasts, and groin.

BHM: How do dermatologists classify HS regarding its severity?

Dr. Mireku: We use  something called the Hurley stages:

• Stage 1 – solitary or multiple, isolated abscess formation without scarring or sinus tracts.
• Stage 2 – recurrent abscesses, single or multiple widely separated lesions, with sinus tract formation
• Stage 3 – diffuse or broad involvement, with multiple interconnected sinus tracts and abscesses.

BHM: Are there any things that specifically contribute to people developing HS?

Dr. Mireku: Yes, HS is more commonly seen and more challenging to treat in those who are overweight and those who smoke. HS is also more commonly seen in those with a history of inflammatory disorders such as cystic acne and pilonidal cysts and those with scalp disorder, dissecting cellulitis.

In addition, there is likely a genetic predisposition as approximately 40% of patients with HS report a family history of the disease in a first-degree relative.

BHM: Do you have any thoughts regarding why Black people are more prone to HS diagnoses?

Dr. Mireku: Honestly, the exact reason isn’t entirely clear yet. For sure, research has shown that there are higher rates of autoimmune disease and obesity, which are two known associations of HS, in black patients. These may be contributors; HS also seems to have a genetic predisposition.

BHM: How can we promote more healthy conversations about HS?

Dr. Mireku: I think awareness is critical. Many patients are either embarrassed or believe that they have a hygiene issue. Because of this, I feel that the incidence of HS is under-reported. Many people live with it for years before being diagnosed.

Patients need to understand that they have done nothing wrong, are not contagious, and have nothing wrong with their personal hygiene.

Additionally, they shouldn’t feel alone. There are things we can do to help.

Treatment Options

The HS Foundation has provided information about a few approaches for treating HS, including:

• Topical medicines, such as washes and medicines, are applied to the skin’s surface.
• Systemic medicines and pills can help reduce inflammation, reduce bacteria, and boost the immune system.
• Procedures, depending on the severity of one’s HS, laser treatments, lancing, minor surgeries, and more extensive surgeries can be beneficial for reducing inflammation and restructuring the skin.
• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) targets one’s diet, nutrition, and supplements and promotes mind and body techniques.

Treating HS looks different for everyone, and for many, a combination of treatments will be used, and specialists may be involved as well. Those living with an HS diagnosis or those who think they may have HS should visit their healthcare providers.

The post Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Removing the Stigma and Understanding the Condition appeared first on Black Health Matters.

How do you think knowledge of cervical and its treatment have changed?

Felder: We’re doing better than we were but are not where we should be. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not an expert, but I am because I have experienced the disease. I have my ear to the streets talking to patients.

But the biggest problem I see is  Black women are still falling through the cracks.

Women of color across the board are being overlooked, but Black women are falling through the cracks because:

1. We are diagnosed late.
2. Our follow-up isn’t good, whether it is on us or our medical team.

I can speak to that firsthand. I often say the only difference between me and someone else who looks like me who has been diagnosed is I had great insurance and a primary care doctor who found my cancer and woman-handled me to make sure I followed up.

I kept saying, “I don’t have cancer.” My father had died from cancer, and I thought I knew what it looked like. I got all of these second opinions. One of them, an older Black female doctor at Howard University Hospital, was the catalyst that led me to schedule my hysterectomy when she told me my cervix looked like chewed-up meat. I was mad when she said that, but I scheduled the surgery.

What is different today?

Felder: We have better tools. When I was diagnosed in 2001, we only had the PAP test. The HPV test came in 2003, and the vaccine in 2006. There is still a lot of controversy surrounding the HPV vaccine, but I wholeheartedly believe in it because I see too many people of every ethnicity die of cervical cancer.

But when I see someone who looks like me and is around the same age, I have survivor’s guilt because, unlike breast cancer and blood cancers, we should absolutely be winning the war. After all, we know the cause of most cervical cancers.

We have diagnostic screening tools to detect abnormal cells to ensure that if people are diagnosed, we can get them treated early, and we have a vaccine to prevent it in future generations.

What made you start Cervivor?

I was pissed off, I was sitting at my desk in the newsroom, and there was information about a breast cancer walk. I thought, where is the walk for cervical cancer? The doctors I saw for second opinions and the one who found my cancer kept saying they saw my situation all the time. How come I am not hearing about it? They told me women thought their husbands were cheating and vice versa. I saw the need for education. Patients weren’t talking about cervical cancer because it’s embarrassing. I saw that the disease had a marketing problem.

And I couldn’t stop talking about cervical cancer. Here we are decades later and still have to talk about it. I am a Black woman from South Carolina, you don’t tell all your business. But I am also a storyteller because I worked as a television producer for many years. I created a toolbox for telling your story and getting involved. I wasn’t the first person to talk about cervical cancer, but I was the first black woman to be vocal about the disease.

I am okay being the coochie cancer lady. That wasn’t my dream growing up, that this would be part of the legacy that I leave, but I own it now.

I thought my legacy wouldn’t be the lives I brought into the world. It was going to be the lives that I saved.

But a little over a year ago, your life changed when you and your husband became parents with the help of egg donation and surrogacy. How has your son Chayton impacted your work?

This baby has become a beacon of hope for people because it is another way to share my story. A woman sent me a message that I was her surrogacy mentor. And I said, “God, you have stirred up some stuff in me.” Who knew that becoming a mother would be the continuum?

One survivor said, “It’s like your story has come full circle.”

For me, that means my son won’t have to worry about HPV. My stepdaughter won’t have to worry about HPV-related cancers. And if someone is diagnosed with an HPV-related cancer, it’ll be something that they got, not something they did to themselves because it’s so common.

The post Tamika Felder On Cervical Cancer Survivorship, Motherhood & Leaving a Legacy appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Be Present.

Don’t worry about what you will say to your friend or family member. Start by showing up for them. She may or may not want to discuss their diagnosis, but follow her cues. If she wants to sit in silence, get comfortable with that. But begin by watching and listening to her.

Don’t Try to Be a Medical Expert. 

Once she has decided on a treatment plan, “don’t go to Dr. Google and tell them to drink all the garlic, oregano, oil, and other stuff,” Felder says. “I believe in that stuff, too. But I also believe in chemo, radiation, and all that. When an individual decides how they want to be treated, and it really is their decision, you have to support it as a loved one.”

Take Her to a Rage Room (or Set One Up Yourself).

She may be feeling angry and helpless after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Allow her to express her frustration by booking a rage room. In these rooms, participants (who wear protective goggles, gloves, and a hard hat) get to express their anger by smashing, breaking, and crushing everything in the area for between 15 and 20 minutes (price varies based on the number of people). You can also set up a spot in your backyard with items she can break, protective gear, and a baseball bat. It won’t solve all her woes, but it will provide a cathartic release.

Set Up a Meal Train. 

Food may be the last thing she is thinking about when your friend or family is managing a cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment. But she must eat, and if she has children and a spouse/significant other, they could also benefit from a meal train. A meal train is now a technology-assisted version of what our community has been doing forever: providing food for those experiencing challenges. In this case, you can get together with her family and friends to organize meals for her during recovery and treatments. Two free sites that will help you get started are mealtrain.com and takethemameal.com.

Give Her PJs With a Purpose.

One of Felder’s favorite suggestions is KickIt Pajamas. The collections designed for cancer patients’ hospital stays, treatment, and recovery have functional elements like front wrap closures, snap sleeves, and interior pockets and are made from soft cotton fabric. Choose from gowns, pajamas, capes, wraps and accessories.

Don’t Forget to Check On Your Strong Friend With Cancer.

Your girl, mom, or sibling may say she has everything under control but don’t assume that is the case. Make a habit of checking on her. She is used to doing it all, but you can look for ways to lighten her load with cleaning or laundry services, for example.

Know That Her Journey Continues After Treatment.

Cancer is a gift wrapped in barbed wire, a therapist once told Felder. “The gift is coming out on the other side, leaving you feeling like a worn puzzle piece. After you’ve played with the puzzle countless times, the pieces never fit together the same way,”  she explains. And once your loved one is finished with treatment, don’t assume everything will return to normal. “We’re done with treatment, but treatment isn’t done with us. It sometimes takes months to a year for the residual effects of that chemotherapy and radiation to be out of our bodies.” Your loved one may have secondary concerns, including GI issues, and move slower than she used to.

Please check out Cervivor.org for more support resources.

The post 7 Ways to Support A Loved One With Cervical Cancer (During & After) appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Make Sure You Get a Second Opinion.

According to Dr. Carol Brown, MD, FACOG, FACS, a Gynecologic Surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, “If you are diagnosed with cervical cancer, the most important thing is to get an opinion from a gynecologic oncologist, a specialist who has had many years of training just to be able to take care of women with cervical cancer.” To find a Gynecologic Oncologist near you, visit the Society of Gynecologic Oncology website. Check with your insurance company to ensure that the second opinion is covered.

Understand Your Diagnosis.

Your doctor will categorize the type of cervical cancer according to stages. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) says staging describes where the cancer is located, if or where it has spread, and whether it affects other body parts. Those stages will range from I to IV, with substages within each group. And they factor into your treatment recommendations.

Cancer.net suggests asking the following questions:

• What is my diagnosis, and what does it mean?
• What is the stage of the precancer or cancer? What does this mean?
• Can you explain my pathology report (laboratory test results) to me?

Treatments Plan Will Depend on the Stage of Your Cancer.

Rachel Clark Sisodia MD, Associate Professor of Harvard Medical School and a Gynecologic Oncologist and Gynecologic Surgeon at Mass General Brigham Hospital, notes that precancer dysplasia, for example, can be fixed with an in-office procedure. “With early-stage cancers, it is important to know that surgery gets pretty aggressive, pretty quickly, and that is what is required to cure your cancer,” she explains. “For more advanced cancers, those tend to be harder to cure. They are almost always treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation.”

Know Who May Be Part of Your Medical Team.

A gynecologic oncologist will oversee treatment, but they may work alongside a gynecologic surgeon, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist, depending on your care plan.

Discuss Fertility Preservation Options If You Are Of Childbearing Years.

Treatment of cervical cancer can trigger early menopause. If you want to have children, it is important to discuss fertility preservation options with your healthcare team before embarking on your treatment. At NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center, those with smaller tumors may be candidates for radical trachelectomy. In this procedure, doctors leave in place the uterus, the ovaries, which contain a woman’s eggs, and the fallopian tubes, which carry the eggs to the uterus. Another option to preserve fertility is freezing your eggs before treatment.

Don’t Neglect Your Mental Health.

The shame associated with having a form of cancer connected to a sexual organ comes with stigmas that make us want to hide it. Don’t. Remember that cervical cancer is a result of HPV, a sexually transmitted infection that nearly all sexually active people get in their lifetime. Talk about your diagnosis with family and friends. Make sure they are being screened. Add a social worker, therapist, or counselor to your team to discuss your concerns.

Get Support For Those Who’ve Been in Your Shoes.

Finding virtual and in-person support can assist you further in managing your cervical cancer journey. A few organizations to explore are Cervivor, a global non-profit education community of patient advocates who can provide inspiration, empowerment, and a safe place to learn more. Founded by Tamika Felder, a Black woman who survived the disease, it serves all women impacted by the disease, but the organization also has groups like Cervivor Noir for Black women. The Resilient Sisterhood Network promotes education on women’s reproductive diseases through in-person events and webinars.

The post You Have Been Diagnosed With Cervical Cancer, Now What? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Several regional studies have proved that these guidelines may need further examination. At the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, researchers found that 1 in 5 cervical cancers diagnosed from 2009-2018 were 65 and over. A large majority, 71%, of these women received a diagnosis at a late stage. The patient’s 5-year survival rate for late-stage patients 65 and over was between 23.2%-36.8%. However, that percentage shrank the older the patient, with the lowest survival rate for women over 80.

According to Human Rights Watch, In Georgia, data shows that from 2014 to 2018, Black women had cervical cancer mortality rates almost one and a half times as high as white women, even though overall cervical cancer rates for both groups are nearly the same. While in that state, Black women over 70 are almost three times as likely to die. Researchers believe that guidelines that end screenings at age 65 represent missed opportunities to save lives. Racial disparities are especially glaring in rural areas where Black women face a cervical cancer incidence rate almost 50 percent higher than white women. In Appalachian Kentucky, the cervical cancer rate is also twice the national average.

Last year, The American Cancer Society said that:

• About 13,960 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed.
• About 4,310 women will die from cervical cancer.

While most diagnoses are caught between the ages of 35-44, the average age for a cervical cancer diagnosis is 50.

In a previous study, researchers found that the incidence of cervical cancer rose steadily with age, peaking at ages 65 to 69. In fact, in this study, the incidence of cervical cancer among women ages 65 to 69 was 84 percent higher than previously reported.

For black women, the numbers are even more alarming. In this study, black women had higher cervical cancer rates than white women at nearly every age, with the most significant difference among the 65 to 69 set.

“Our corrected calculations show that women just past 65 when current guidelines state that screenings can stop for many women, have the highest rate of cervical cancer,” study lead author Anne Rositch, an assistant professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in a release. “It will be important to consider these findings when re-evaluating risk and screening guidelines for cervical cancer in older women and the appropriate age to stop screening.”

According to Rositch, we need further studies to determine “whether the continued increase in cervical cancer rates with age and the higher rates in African-American women represent a failure in our screening programs or a failure of the women to be screened so that appropriate interventions can be applied.”

Many women in our community don’t consider the importance of gynecological screenings when they are no longer of childbearing years. But, a study found that women over 65 were less likely to be screened for cervical cancer. The Centers for Disease Control says, “The only way to know it is safe to stop being tested after age 65 is if you have had several tests in a row that didn’t find cancer within the previous ten years, including at least one in the previous five years.”

• You should have three normal tests in a row for the Pap test alone.
• You should have two normal tests in a row for the Pap-HPV co-test.
• Women at high risk should talk with their doctors about how often to get screened and at what age.
• The CDC says screening after age 65 may be appropriate for some women at high risk, including women with a history of cervical lesions or cancer, women whose mothers took a hormone called diethylstilbestrol (DES) while pregnant, or women who have a weakened immune system.

If you or a loved one is approaching 65 or they are all older, make sure you ask about whether continued screening for cervical cancer is appropriate.

The post Why Black Women Over 65 Still Need Cervical Cancer Screenings appeared first on Black Health Matters.

But what is screening these days? The American Cancer Society recommends the first screening (and HPV test) at age 25. It also recommends a primary HPV test* every five years up to age 65. If primary HPV testing is unavailable, a co-test that combines an HPV test with a Papanicolaou (Pap) test every five years or a Pap test alone every three years. This is important for you to understand because women with SLE have a higher incidence of genital infection.

A study by J. Patricia Dhar, M.D., a Clinical Professor of Medicine and a rheumatologist at Wayne State University, used a self-sampling brush to collect cell samples for HPV screenings. The cells were tested for HPV genetic information, gene activation of local inflammatory factors, or cytokines, in the vagina, and cervical cytopathology.

The results showed that 70% of the 30 study participants, all Black women, showed infection with HPV, and half of those showed multiple HPV types. Subjects also had a higher-than-expected frequency of abnormal pre-cancerous Pap smears.

In an interview, Dr.Dhar said, “I did expect they would have higher rates of HPV infection and abnormal Paps based on my experience, but I did not expect to see multiple HPV types, including new types that are just being identified as being high risk for cancer,” she explained. “It verified what I was trying to demonstrate – that this is a high-risk population and needs more monitoring for cervical health.”

So what does this mean for you?

1. Use condoms to prevent transmission of HPV.
2. Stay on top of cervical health screenings (gynecological examinations, Pap smears,  HPV screenings, or co-tests).
3. Get the HPV vaccine if you are eligible for it.

The post Are You a Black Women With Lupus? Why Cervical Cancer Screenings Are a Must appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The study analyzed PFA exposure of patients already diagnosed with thyroid cancer. It found “that adults had a higher likelihood of developing thyroid cancer with greater exposure to linear PFOS, and increased risks for thyroid cancer were observed with exposure to five types of PFAS for adults diagnosed more than one year after plasma samples were collected.”

Why is this Important for Us to Know?

According to research from Harvard, our community and Hispanics are more likely to be exposed to PFAs in our drinking water. The findings were published in Environmental Science and Technology. “Our work suggests that the sociodemographic groups that are often stressed by other factors, including marginalization, racism, and poverty, are also more highly exposed to PFAS in drinking water,” said first author Jahred Liddie, a Ph.D. student in population health sciences at Harvard Chan School. “Environmental justice is a major emphasis of the current administration, and this work shows it should be considered in the upcoming regulations for PFAS in drinking water.” And the researchers of the thyroid study want to bring attention to including these chemicals in other products that may increase our exposure.

One thing you can do now is to invest in a  filter to remove PFAs from your drinking water. We suggest checking out those the Environmental Working Group (EWG) recommended. Although our risk may be low, if you have a family history of thyroid disease or cancer, talk to your healthcare professional about screenings.

The post What is Increasing Our Odds for Thyroid Cancer? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The study looked at routines including straightening, curling, waving, and oiling our hair and the products and appliances used. It examined their potential impact on our health as well as the environment. When we use hair products like shampoo or conditioner, the exposure to the compounds is small.

But the risk increases when we use protectant or smoothing sprays and follow that with heat from a curling iron or flat iron. And the higher the temperature of our tools, the higher the emissions we are inhaling. 

If you have been following the news, you know about the potential ban on keratin treatments designed to straighten hair and the controversy surrounding relaxers. This study also impacts those of us wearing wigs. We use flat irons and curling irons when we style them, too.

The news is not all bad. However, there are habits we can adopt to minimize exposure to the emissions:

• Cut back on the use of heated tools. Get out of the habit of relying on them daily.
• When you use a flat or curling iron, work with the lowest temperature possible.
• If the bathroom has an extractor fan, turn it on. (According to the study, the emissions will clear in about 20 minutes.)
• Switch to hairstyles that don’t require heat (even if it is occasionally).

The post Is Your Hair Routine Causing You Harm? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The timing of the alleged abuse coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which intensified violence against women and girls, according to the United Nations. Other information in the filing accused Jackson of berating Palmer and destroying her personal property. The filing also confirmed that the former couple had split up. The term “Intimate Partner” refers to current and former spouses and dating partners in the Center for Disease Control’s definition. Their interpersonal issues first courted public attention when Jackson drew ire on social media for publicly criticizing Palmer’s outfit for Usher’s Las Vegas residency. Former Spice Girl Mel B told Cosmopolitan how coercive control impacted her fashion choices during her former marriage to Stephen Belafonte in 2021. “I didn’t even know what color I liked anymore because those choices were taken away from me for so long. And I just accepted it,” said Mel B.

Women facing abuse from intimate partners are often painted as penniless victims without any resources or options.

Scene after scene of them fleeing, while clutching nothing more than a diaper bag and fear, have played out in popular culture. But they’ve excluded the many powerful women, like Palmer, who have suffered as a result of intimate partner violence. This happens to women on stages, courts, and in boardrooms. Dr. Angela Mailis published Smart, Successful & Abused: The Unspoken Problem of Domestic Violence and High-Achieving Women in 2019. “Just as many ‘smart and successful’ women are victims as the stereotype of an ‘un-empowered’ female,” said former Liz Claiborne CEO Jana Kasperkevic in a 2014 piece for The Guardian. Academy award-winner Halle Berry, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Kelly Rowland, and former WNBA player and two-time Olympic gold medalist, “Mighty Ruthie” Bolton have each publicly addressed their experiences with intimate partner violence.

Palmer’s situation is another disturbing example of how domestic violence can penetrate even the most prosperous circles. A Journal of Population Economics study published in September found that “women who earn more than their male partners are subject to a 33% increase in partner violence and a 20% increase in emotional abuse compared to mean levels.” Psychologist and executive coach Perpetua Neo explained how powerful women can be inclined to invest time and energy into abusive relationships. “High-performance women tend to be highly conscientious too,” she said in a 2019 interview with INSIDER. “It means they work really hard for their relationship. So they’re likely just to keep giving and giving and giving.

To learn more about intimate partner violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (800-799-7233; toll-free).

The post It’s Not Just Keke Palmer: High-Achieving Women Are Not Immune To Domestic Violence appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The groundbreaking survey conducted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Los, Inc. Angeles Chapter brought together a diverse and representative group of respondents to shed light on the breast cancer disparities faced by African American women. In total, over 1,000 African-American women participated in this comprehensive survey, representing a broad spectrum of backgrounds and experiences. The age range of the respondents was carefully selected, focusing on women between the ages of 35 and 45, as this demographic has been identified as particularly vulnerable to breast cancer disparities. By including women from various geographic locations and socioeconomic backgrounds, the survey aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and barriers faced by African-American women in their fight against breast cancer.

Approximately 20% of the survey participants reported that they had been diagnosed with breast cancer, highlighting the significant prevalence of this disease within the African-American community. For the remaining respondents who had not been diagnosed, the specter of breast cancer loomed large due to concerns related to family history, genetic factors, or other circumstances. This diverse group of respondents, including both those who had faced a breast cancer diagnosis and those who lived with the fear of it, allowed for a nuanced exploration of the breast cancer landscape among African-American women. The demographic diversity and the range of experiences shared by the survey participants made the study a powerful platform for identifying disparities and advocating for change.

The Harsh Reality

Breast cancer disparities among African-American women are deeply concerning. The study highlighted several alarming trends: late-stage diagnosis and aggressive cancer. A significant number of African American women are diagnosed with breast cancer at a late stage, leading to more aggressive forms of the disease. These late diagnoses result in higher mortality rates among younger African-American women.

Dr. Linda James (past president of the National Coalition of the 100 Black Women, Inc. Los Angeles chapter) is proud of this study because of the way it brings the community together, “It means we have a voice. The community says what it thinks and it’s not just one person saying it…it’s everyone’s experience.”

Dense Breast Tissue and Triple-Negative Genotype: The study found that African American women often have dense breast tissue, which is associated with a triple-negative genotype. This particular type of breast cancer can be more challenging to treat and is often detected later, leading to poorer outcomes.

Underrepresentation in Clinical Trials: African American women are markedly underrepresented in breast cancer clinical trials. This underrepresentation not only hampers progress in understanding the disease but also raises ethical concerns rooted in historical medical injustices.

Limited Access to Advanced Screening: While some advanced screening methods like MRI have been shown to be more sensitive and effective, they are not widely accessible to African American women. Inadequate access to these technologies contributes to disparities in early detection.

The Urgent Need for Action

Addressing breast cancer disparities in African-American women demands immediate action on multiple fronts.

Clinical Trials Inclusivity: Efforts must be made to ensure that clinical trials are inclusive and diverse. African-American women should be actively recruited for breast cancer trials to ensure that treatment strategies are tailored to their specific needs.

Improved Screening: The study underscores the importance of early detection. Accessible and affordable screening methods, including advanced technologies like MRI and 3D mammography, should be made available to African-American women.

Education and Advocacy: Community education and advocacy programs should be launched to increase awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early screening among African-American women. Collaboration with trusted community leaders and organizations is essential in this regard.

Genetic Testing: The study also highlights the importance of genetic testing, especially for African-American women with a family history of breast cancer. This can help identify those at higher risk and guide treatment decisions.

Trust-Building: Healthcare providers must work diligently to rebuild trust within African-American communities, addressing historical grievances and ensuring transparency in medical research and care.

Collaboration: Collaboration is key in the fight against breast cancer disparities. Organizations like the CDC, FDA, NIH, and medical societies should collaborate with community organizations and advocacy groups like the National Coalition of 100 Black Women to develop comprehensive strategies.

The study conducted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Los Angeles Chapter serves as a stark reminder of the disparities that persist in breast cancer care for African American women. These disparities are deeply rooted in historical injustices and systemic issues. However, it is not a hopeless situation. With concerted efforts from healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and communities, we can bridge the gap in breast cancer outcomes for African-American women.

The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. It’s a call for action, a plea for change, and an opportunity to save lives. Breast cancer does not discriminate, and neither should our efforts to combat it. By addressing these disparities head-on, we can move closer to a world where all women, regardless of their background, have equal access to early detection, effective treatments, and, ultimately, better chances of survival.

The post Comprehensive Study on Breast Cancer Disparities conducted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Los Angeles Chapter appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Raising Awareness On Social Media

In a long-running TikTok post, Shannon M. Clark, MD, pointed out that specific groups of women, notably those of color, from low-income backgrounds, those with tattoos, and those perceived as “difficult” by medical professionals, are more often subjected to these tests without their informed consent. This type of decision-making, driven by apparent bias rather than evidence, is referred to as patient profiling.

@tiktokbabydoc

This type of practice is harmful. Hospitals have been found to routinely drug test pregnant people without their informed consent. Drug testing should be performed only with the patient’s consent and if indicated. #pregnancy #implicitbias #pregnancytiktok #profiling #bias #discrimination #criminalization #criminalizationofpregnancy #informedconsent

♬ original sound – Sam | Content Expert

Shedding Light Through Studies

Furthermore, a recent study published in the JAMA Health Forum analyzed electronic medical records from a large healthcare system in Pennsylvania, spanning from March 2018 to June 2021. The results were stark: Black women were less likely than white women to test positive for drugs, yet they were more frequently tested. The fact that Black patients were no more likely to test positive debunks any rationale for the disparity in testing frequency based solely on substance abuse concerns.

The study suggests that racial bias is the sole explanation for this discrepancy. After adjusting for multiple demographic and medical factors, Black women, even those with no prior substance use, faced a higher probability of being subjected to urine tests upon delivery. This is concerning not only because it represents an obvious racial bias but also because of the broader implications for the trust Black women can place in the medical system.

Such practices erode the bond of trust between healthcare professionals and patients. As Dr. Alison Stuebe pointed out, such practices further the mistrust Black women have towards the healthcare system. This, in a country already grappling with high maternal mortality rates among Black and Native American women, further amplifies the urgent need for reform.

Continuing The Discussion

The discussions emerging from revelations like Dr. Clark’s video and the JAMA Health Forum study spotlight the wider issue of racial disparity and biases in healthcare. Whether it’s profiling based on tattoos, socio-economic status, or race, the healthcare system’s commitment should always prioritize unbiased, respectful, and evidence-based care.

It’s imperative for healthcare institutions to recognize and rectify such discriminatory practices. This can start with training programs to raise awareness about patient profiling, reviewing hospital policies to ensure the rights and privacy of patients, and fostering an open communication environment between healthcare providers and patients.

Every individual, irrespective of their race, appearance, or socio-economic background, deserves dignified, fair, and respectful treatment. As the conversations around these discriminatory practices grow, it is hoped that they will instigate tangible change in the medical community.

The post Why Are Pregnant Black Women Drug Tested More Often? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The Statistics

A 2018 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that nearly 10% of women seen at Kaiser Permanente Washington in 2014 were diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Women age 50-54 had higher risk with nearly 16% diagnosed. However, Black women were most susceptible with over 18% of the diagnoses among all ethnic groups.

It’s important to note that many cases are asymptomatic and go undiagnosed. Researchers estimate that up to 80% could develop fibroids by age 50 and African Americans are up to three times more likely to develop them than White people. In addition, they are seven times more likely to require surgery to treat them.

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

Fibroids grow in various locations on, in, or around the uterus. This includes the wall of the uterus, the uterine lining, near the fallopian tubes, or nearby internal organs. Some locations are more common than others.

Types of Fibroids:

• Intramural fibroids develop inside the muscular wall of the uterus and are often the most difficult to treat.
• Submucosal fibroids grow in the uterine cavity.
• Subserosal fibroids develop close to the muscular wall on the outside of the uterus.
• Pedunculated fibroids develop on the outside of the uterus but not as closely as the subserosal fibroids. They connect with a stem and sit farther away. This is the least common type of uterine fibroid.

Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids

Fibroids are quite common, but most women aren’t aware they have them. Those with symptoms could experience a wide range of things depending on how many there are, where they are located, and their size. While very heavy bleeding and pelvic pain are the most common signs of fibroids, every person’s experience will be unique, which is why personalized attention from a knowledgeable provider is essential.

Possible Signs of Uterine Fibroids:

• Pelvic pain
• Painful periods
• Pain during sex
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Long menstrual cycle
• Frequent urination
• Inability to urinate or empty your bladder
• Constipation
• Low back pain
• Leg pains

Possible Complications

With very heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods comes the risk for anemia, a condition in which your body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Symptoms of anemia include lethargy, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Close management by a physician is necessary if fibroids cause anemia to become life-threatening.

Some fibroids may twist at the stem and cause severe pain and symptoms that mimic illness. They may also grow quickly, requiring surgical intervention if medication does not slow their growth. If fibroid tumors begin to break down, the body may react with fever or nausea. Treating the fibroids can often resolve infertility, which is one of the more common complications of uterine fibroids.

Fibroids Causes and Risk Factors

It’s still unknown what causes uterine fibroids, but research suggests that there are several risk factors for them. One of the biggest risk factors is hormones. Those who take hormones or who have natural hormone imbalances seem to be at higher risk of developing fibroids. This is only one of many contributors, however, and those at risk of developing fibroids should discuss their concerns with their healthcare provider.

Risk Factors for Uterine Fibroids:

• Age
• Black women
• Weight
• Family history of fibroids
• High blood pressure
• Food additive consumption
• Diet high in red meat
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Never being pregnant
• Chronic stress
• Major stress events

Diagnosing Fibroids

Because many uterine fibroids are first detected through a routine pelvic exam, it may be difficult to detect them in very heavy women. However, if your provider suspects them or notices changes in the size or shape of your uterus, they may order additional diagnostic tests to determine their presence, size, and location.

Diagnostic Tests for Uterine Fibroids:

• Ultrasound: An ultrasound probe uses sound waves to view internal organs. Your provider may order a sonohysterography test in which they inject saline into the uterus during an ultrasound so that it is easier to see the uterine cavity.
• MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, can be much more effective at visualizing uterine fibroids once they’ve been detected with ultrasound.
• Hysteroscopy: A lighted scope is used to view this inside of the uterus. This is a minimally invasive procedure done in the clinic.
• Endometrial Biopsy: While nearly all fibroids are benign (non-cancerous), your provider may suggest a biopsy to confirm it with a diagnostic fibroid biopsy.

Treatment Options for Uterine Fibroids

There are many treatments available for uterine fibroids, including things you can do at home to complement your doctor’s care, making it more effective, to medications and even surgery to help manage your symptoms depending on severity. Because there are so many options, it’s important to discuss them with your health care provider so you can make the most informed and best choice for your care.

Best Home Care

Many home remedies are simple and you may already do them, such as a heating pad and over-the-counter pain relievers. However, there is more you can do to help manage your pain without or in addition to the help of your medical provider.

Diet

A mostly vegetarian diet may help those with uterine fibroids, although cold-water fish like salmon and tuna that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial. You may choose to supplement your diet with fish oil. Many women with fibroids find that avoiding high-calorie foods can help reduce symptoms as well, instead choosing green vegetables, apples, and citrus fruits that all contain high levels of flavonoids. You may decide to work with a dietician or nutritionist if you are overweight, as weight management is a large part of managing symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Stress

There are many ways stress levels affect the female reproductive system and this is especially true for those with fibroids. One study by the Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill found that significant and stressful life events seemed to be a contributing factor in the presence and growth of uterine fibroids. To help control stress, you may choose to work with a therapist, get regular massage, exercise regularly, or meditate. Certain types of yoga can both manage stress and offer exercise benefits to help manage weight loss.

Available Medications

Taking over-the-counter pain relievers may help reduce the pain and control heavy bleeding because they also act as anti-inflammatories. However, they won’t treat fibroids long term because they don’t shrink them. Birth control pills or an intrauterine device (IUD) may work the same way. However, medications that regulate hormones could help shrink fibroids over time so long as you continue taking the medication. Your physician may recommend medication as one of the first treatment options.

Non- or Minimally Invasive Procedures

Some procedures are minimally invasive, or not invasive at all, and would be the next step in treating fibroids. These procedures are often very effective at treating fibroids that haven’t responded as well to medication alone or your doctor feels your fibroids need more aggressive therapy to control your symptoms.

• Forced Ultrasound Surgery: A specialized MRI machine targets high-energy, high frequency sound waves at each fibroid to destroy them.
• Myolysis or Cryomyolysis: These procedures use either extreme heat or cold as water, electric current, laser, or other form to destroy the uterine lining.
• Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE): A plastic or gel material is placed into the fibroid blood vessels, cutting off blood supply and causing them to shrink.

Surgery to Treat Fibroids

It may be necessary to remove fibroids surgically through myomectomy. If uterine fibroids return frequently or no other treatments have been successful at managing symptoms, the last treatment option is usually a hysterectomy to remove the uterus completely. This is a permanent solution and many healthcare providers will exhaust all other treatments or consider it only for those nearing menopause.

Questions to Ask Your Provider

The US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health answers many questions that women may have about uterine fibroids, especially for those recently diagnosed. They also provide a list of questions to ask your provider that can help you better understand the condition and how it affects you, such as how many fibroids you have and what size they are.

Other questions you may want to ask are:

• Where are the fibroids located?
• Will they grow larger and how will you know if they do?
• What potential problems could they cause?
• Are there any future tests needed to monitor the fibroids?
• Do the fibroids require treatment immediately?
• What treatment options do you suggest?

If you feel uncomfortable with your doctor’s answers or wish to verify the results or suggested treatment, be sure to schedule a second opinion with another provider. This is another way you can take control of your health.

The Final Word On Fibroids

Although not all fibroids cause symptoms, some women may only experience inconvenient, heavy bleeding while others require extensive treatment like surgical intervention. Those of reproductive age are at a higher risk of developing fibroids. Black women are even more susceptible. Black Health Matters is working to spread awareness of conditions affecting the Black community by sharing information and solutions. However, all women should know their risk of uterine fibroids and discuss the possibility and treatment options with their provider.

The post Empowering Women: Understanding Fibroids and Taking Control of Your Health appeared first on Black Health Matters.

EC is the most common type of uterine cancer. It’s also one of the few cancers where diagnoses and deaths are on the rise. According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that there will be over 66,000 new cases of uterine cancer diagnosed in the United States in 2023 alone, accounting for over 13,000 deaths. It’s important for people to learn more about this disease so they can spot the potential signs at an early stage and take action.

Early detection can help save lives

EC may be more treatable when detected at an early stage. If diagnosed when the cancer is local and has not spread from the uterus, a patient’s five-year survival rate is 96%. Early detection and treatment is particularly important for communities of color, many of whom already experience health disparities. Black women are nearly twice as likely to die of EC compared to white women and are more often diagnosed at a later stage.

Risk factors and signs of EC

It is important that women and all people with a uterus are aware of the factors that may increase their risk of developing EC, which include but are not limited to obesity, age, family history of uterine cancer, high-fat diet and lack of exercise, conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or a hereditary cancer syndrome such as Lynch syndrome. Knowing the signs of EC can also empower women to advocate for their health and help catch EC at an early stage. Look out for these common signs:

• Abnormal bleeding
• Spotting or brownish discharge after menopause
• Irregular or heavy bleeding before menopause
• Pelvic area pain or pressure.

“Prior to my diagnosis, I experienced symptoms like abnormal bleeding and intense cramps that were so painful, I knew I needed to see my doctor,” said Shawn Smith, an EC survivor.  “I’m now sharing my story because I want other women to be able to spot the signs of EC and speak up for themselves and the women in their lives.”

Engaging in open conversations with your doctor can make a big difference. It’s vital for all women — especially Black women — to speak to a doctor if they experience any potential symptoms of concern.

End the silence and raise awareness

SHARE Cancer Support, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), Black Health Matters, Endometrial Cancer Action Network for African-Americans (ECANA), The Foundation for Women’s Cancer (FWC), and Eisai Inc. came together to launch Spot Her^® to help end the silence around EC by educating the public about the signs and symptoms of the disease.

If you want to help raise awareness and show your support for women living with EC, join the conversation on social media by tagging your posts with #SpotHerforEC. For every post shared using #SpotHerforEC, Eisai will donate one dollar (up to $20,000) between SHARE, FORCE and ECANA to support women living with EC.

Know the signs, spot them early, and help save lives. For more information and resources on EC, visit SpotHerforEC.com.

The post Empower Yourself and Others To Spot The Signs of Endometrial Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Researchers found that all single births in the United States between 2016 and 2017 — 7.5 million births total. More than 93,000 of those babies were born via IVF technology. Within the first 28 days after birth, death rates among IVF babies born to Black mothers were four times higher than those born to white mothers. In addition, infant mortality rates were twice as high for babies of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic mothers who conceived with the help of IVF.

Dr. Sarka Lisonkova, the study’s lead author, admitted she was shocked by the results. Most mothers who utilize IVF treatment have the resources and access to better neonatal care regardless of their race. Thus, her team ultimately believed there wouldn’t be such a gap. But systemic racism in medicine still rears its ugly head. Furthermore, Dr. Lisonkova added that most infant deaths happen in the first 24 hours of birth because “something has gone wrong either with pregnancy or childbirth, or the baby was not developing well in utero.”

Factors for IVF Infant Mortality Rate

Dr. Lisonkova believes that a few factors could be at work. For instance, most Black women conceived at older ages than white women. Therefore, age might have increased their likelihood of pre-term birth. Another factor was reproductive health conditions such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Unfortunately, PCOS disproportionately impacts Black women.

“More research is needed to identify preventive measures for reducing risks among vulnerable women who use medically assisted reproduction,” Dr. Lisonkova.

According to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), between 1987 and 2105, more than 1 million babies were born using IVF technology in the U.S. Regardless, Black mothers and their babies fare far worse during and after pregnancy. Some states and medical professionals, such as doulas, have worked to find ways to close that gap and provide Black mothers with the assistance they need.

The post IVF Babies Born to Black Mothers Face Higher Infant Mortality Rates appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The post Chanel Porchia-Albert: A Doula’s Fight For Black Maternal Health appeared first on Black Health Matters.

In October 2019, 30-year-old Shamony Gibson died thirteen days after her son’s death. Two months later, filmmakers Tonya Lewis Lee and Paula Eiselt began filming Gibson’s surviving mother and partner. Viewers see how Shawnee Benton Gibson and Omari Maynard earn a new normal. Unfortunately, less than a year later, viewers meet the family of 26-year-old Amber Rose Isaac. She died from an emergency c-section, and Omari reaches out to her surviving partner, Bruce McIntyre. Omari forms a lifelong bond with Bruce as they fight for justice for their partners. They have their community’s support the entire step of the way during the process.

Throughout the “Aftershock,” the two families seek justice through legislation, medical accountability, community, and the power of art. During their journey, we meet a growing brotherhood of surviving Black fathers and the work of midwives and doctors fighting for institutional reform.

Check Out “Aftershock” Trailer Below:

“Aftershock” is now streaming on HULU.

The post New Documentary ‘Aftershock’ Addresses Death Rates of Black Women During Childbirth appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Midway through my appointment, my gynecologist went silent. Her face screwed up a little, and she announced, “I don’t hear a heartbeat.”

My own heartbeat stopped, too, for a second, maybe two. “What?” I managed to croak.

She was suddenly all business. What had been a jovial visit—with a joke-filled few minutes discussing the difference between amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling—turned into quiet desperation.

I don’t remember getting dressed, but moments later I was in my car, driving through rush-hour traffic to a radiology center. Their ultrasound equipment, my doctor explained, was more sophisticated. She hoped she was wrong and that I’d return to her office and yell at her for scaring me.

Understanding a High-Risk Pregnancy
We hear about women getting pregnant after age 40 all the time these days. The miracles of reproductive science are so commonplace they don’t even seem like miracles anymore. Even before the age of test-tube babies and in vitro fertilization, both my grandmothers had their last children in their early 40s. Though my maternal grandmother’s final pregnancy netted twins, I don’t think anybody ever said the words “high risk” to her.

Times have changed. I knew my pregnancy was high risk. I was 43 (nearly 44), I’d already started perimenopause and the whole event was completely unplanned. Throw in a severely tilted uterus (it has caused every gynecologist I’ve ever visited to exclaim, “I’ve never seen such a tilted uterus!”), and forget the wall; the handwriting was on the ceiling.

But if I had any doubts about my pregnancy’s status, they were erased by the bright red, all-caps, 5-inch-tall words stamped across the front of my medical file: “ADVANCED MATERNAL AGE.”

Three months into a new relationship with a newly divorced guy (who said during our second or third conversation that he a) no longer believed in marriage, and 2) didn’t want any more children), and I was knocked up. Preggers. With child. Confused. Bewildered.

But mostly I was thrilled. I started taking prenatal vitamins immediately and eliminated caffeine. I upped my intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Normally a type-A workaholic and a night owl, I made sure I got the proper rest. I pulled out the list of baby names I’d been compiling since seventh grade. And I began planning how to scale back my 90-hour workweek. I was a week away from the start of my second trimester, a week away from sharing my good news with family and friends.

Then I had the missing heartbeat doctor’s appointment.

Why Miscarriages Happen

After two ultrasounds, the radiology center confirmed my doctor’s diagnosis: There was no heartbeat. (The technician was pretty rough and cold, but that’s another story for another day.) All my early preparation was fruitless; I was no longer having a baby.

I was hardly alone in my misery. Statistics show 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and most, like mine, occur within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.

The reasons for miscarriage vary, but most of the time the cause cannot be identified. During the first trimester, the most common cause is chromosomal abnormality, meaning something is not correct with the baby’s chromosomes. But other causes can include:

• Hormonal problems or infections
• Improper implantation of the egg into the uterine lining
• Lifestyle (excessive caffeine, drug use, exposure to radiation)
• Maternal health issues (uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid disease, lupus)
• Maternal age
• Maternal trauma

Types of Miscarriage

To many women who have lost a pregnancy, a miscarriage is a miscarriage is a miscarriage, but your health-care provider may use one of the terms below to refer to the type:

• Threatened Miscarriage: Some early pregnancy uterine bleeding accompanied by cramping or lower backache. The cervix remains closed. This bleeding is often the result of implantation.
• Inevitable or Incomplete Miscarriage: Abdominal or back pain accompanied by bleeding with an open cervix. Bleeding and cramps may persist if the miscarriage is not complete.
• Complete Miscarriage: The embryo has emptied out of the uterus. Bleeding should subside quickly, as should any pain or cramping. A completed miscarriage can be confirmed by an ultrasound or by having a surgical curettage (D and C).
• Missed Miscarriage: Embryonic death has occurred but there is no expulsion of the embryo. It is not known why this occurs. Signs of this include a loss of pregnancy symptoms and the absence of the fetal heartbeat on an ultrasound. (This is the type I had.)
• Recurrent Miscarriage: Three or more consecutive first trimester miscarriages.
  Blighted Ovum: A fertilized egg implants into the uterine wall, but fetal development never begins.
• Ectopic Pregnancy: A fertilized egg implants itself in places other than the uterus, most commonly the fallopian tube. Treatment is needed immediately to stop the development of the implanted egg. If not treated right away, this could end in serious complications.
• Molar Pregnancy: A genetic error during fertilization that leads to growth of abnormal tissue within the uterus. Molar pregnancies rarely involve a developing embryo, but often entail the most common symptoms of pregnancy, including a missed period, positive pregnancy test and severe nausea.

If you are pregnant and experience any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately:

• Brown or bright red bleeding with or without cramps
• Mild to severe back pain (usually worse than normal menstrual cramps)
• Sudden decrease in signs of pregnancy
• Tissue with clot-like material passing from the vagina
• True contractions (very painful and happening every five to 20 minutes)
• Weight loss
• White-pink mucus discharge

Miscarriage: The Aftermath

After my miscarriage—which I handled alone and terrified—it took a full year for the emotional effects to hit me. During that year I got the “there wasn’t anything you could’ve done; it probably wasn’t your age; it was probably a chromosome problem” discussion from my doctor. I told a couple of close friends, but only in an off-hand, “don’t ask me any questions” kind of way. (“I had a miscarriage last month. Where are you going for summer vacation?”) I went back to my 90-hour workweeks without missing a beat. Of course, I did. I’m a strong black woman.

A year later I agonized. Was it that glass of wine 48 hours after conception? Perhaps the caffeine in my venti hot chocolate; I was certain I’d had five or six of them before I knew I was pregnant. I was envious of two friends who had been pregnant at the same time (though they didn’t know about my pregnancy), and who both went on to have healthy, beautiful babies. Then I was wracked with guilt over the envy. I cried with cause (mom-related Facebook posts sent me over the edge) and without provocation (the garbage man is late; bring on the tears!).
The relationship with the newly divorced guy died a quiet death, largely because we couldn’t deal with the pregnancy or our shared loss. We had one brief conversation about it that went something like this:

Me: Are we ever going to talk about it?

Him: Why? It self corrected. It wasn’t meant to be.

The handful of folks I let in on my misery squirmed when the “M” word came up. I realized that as a society we’re not comfortable with a pregnancy unfulfilled. There was no memorial service for an 11-week-old embryo. I didn’t get flowers or cards, and because I didn’t want to distress other people, I stopped talking about it. I was alone in my grief.

The American Pregnancy Association suggests women who have lost a baby take the necessary time to grieve, seek counseling and accept help. In my haste to move beyond such a painful and sad time, I tried to rush my emotional healing process. It is only now, more than three years later, that I’m able to comprehend my loss and put things in perspective. When folks ask why I don’t have children in that “don’t you like kids?!” disdainful way—as a new guy I started dating did—I say, “I had a miscarriage when I was 11 weeks pregnant.”

And you know what? I didn’t care one bit that it made him squirmy and uncomfortable.

—Kendra Lee

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Nearly half of all black, Hispanic and indigenous women had discontinuous insurance coverage between preconception and after delivering their babies compared to about a fourth of white women, according to the research in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Spanish-speaking Hispanic women had the lowest rates of steady insurance, with nearly one in 10 not being insured at all between preconception and the postpartum period.

The study comes as women from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds face greater risks of maternal morbidity—unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery that negatively impact a woman’s health—and mortality associated with childbirth. Black and indigenous women are two to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared with white peers.

“Racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and child health outcomes are a national public health crisis,” says senior author Lindsay Admon, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist at Michigan Medicine Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital.

“We found that disruptions in insurance coverage disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority women. In the United States, insurance coverage is an important prerequisite for accessing healthcare.

“Throughout the most critical periods of pregnancy, we identified wide racial-ethnic disparities related to women’s ability to access to preconception, prenatal, and postpartum care.”

Admon notes that the findings are especially relevant as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified lack of access to quality health care as a key contributor to pregnancy-related deaths.

Researchers analyzed data from 107,921 women in 40 states between 2015 to 2017 to establish insurance status at three at time points, including the month before conception, at the time of delivery and 60 days after birth.

Admon’s previous research finds that women of color and those of Hispanic heritage had higher rates of severe birth-related health issues than non-Hispanic white women even if they were otherwise healthy.

Income gaps between white and black populations play a big factor in insurance disparities. Nearly half of black, non-Hispanic women in the study had household incomes below the federal poverty level, which were linked to higher rates of Medicaid coverage during pregnancy.

Among the biggest factors for disrupted care is Medicaid discontinuity, authors say. Pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage is only offered for up to 60 days after a baby’s birth, but there are bipartisan federal and state efforts to extend the coverage to a year.

“Medicaid stability before and after pregnancy is critical for ensuring continuity of coverage and access to care for women of color,” says lead author Jamie Daw, Ph.D., researcher with the Department of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University.

“Extending pregnancy Medicaid to one year after birth is likely to reduce racial disparities in insurance disruptions and ultimately, disparities in postpartum health.”

Improving coverage before conception is also critical in identifying underlying health issues that may negatively affect a mother or baby’s health.

“We know that complications associated with pre-existing conditions chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and substance use are among the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality,” says Admon, who is also a researcher at the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.

“It’s important for women to have quality health coverage and care to manage these conditions to have the best chance of a healthy pregnancy.”

From Michigan Health

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“It is unacceptable that the maternal and infant mortality rate among Black and Indigenous communities remains significantly higher than the state average. California is committed to tackling discrimination and disparity whenever and wherever it occurs, and with today’s signing, we’re doubling down on our commitment to both reproductive and racial justice,” Newsom stated.

The Momnibus Act is vital to protect Black mothers! The American Medical Association reports that Black women are 3-4 times more likely to die due to a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Think about how crazy that number is. Now, think about how it is even crazier we need a bill to help protect us. Unfortunately, racism and unconscious bias play a major role in these numbers, and the numbers don’t lie.

In 2016, a survey given to white medical students revealed heartbreaking results. Nearly half believed false facts about Black patients, including thicker skin and less sensitive nerve endings. In 2020, a study showed that Black babies are more likely to survive if cared for by Black doctors. Many Black women are opting for doulas because of this reason alone. Numbers like these are the reason why the CDC officially declared racism as a public health threat earlier this year. Too many Black mamas are dying.

This bill is a victory for Black expecting families!

The post Governor Newsom Signs Momnibus Act to Close Racial Gap in Maternal and Infant Death appeared first on Black Health Matters.

It’s important to keep an accurate record of your vaccinations. Share this information with your pre-conception and prenatal health care professionals to help determine which vaccines you’ll need before and during pregnancy. If you or your health care professionals do not have a current record of your vaccinations, you can:

• Ask your parents or other caregivers if they still have your school immunization records. Ask them which childhood illnesses you’ve already had because illnesses in childhood can sometimes provide immunity in adulthood.
• Contact your previous health care professional or other locations where you may have received vaccinations (e.g., the health department, your workplace, or local pharmacies).

Even if you can’t find your records, your health care professional can still protect your health and your baby by recommending the appropriate vaccines. Check out the seven tips below for important information you should know about maternal vaccines:

1. You aren’t just protecting yourself; vaccines during pregnancy give your baby some early protection, too. Did you know a baby gets disease immunity from mom during pregnancy? When you get the flu shot and Tdap vaccine while you’re pregnant, your body creates protective antibodies and you pass on some of those antibodies to your baby. This immunity can protect baby from some diseases during the first few months of life before your baby can get vaccinated. But immunity decreases over time.

2. Maternal vaccines are safe for you and your little one. Tdap and flu vaccines are safe for you and your baby. Experts carefully reviewed the available safety data before recommending Tdap and flu vaccines during pregnancy. Vaccines are like any medicine, which means they can have some side effects. But most people who get vaccinated have no side effects. Those who do experience side effects typically see mild redness, swelling and tenderness at the shot site.

3. Whooping cough can be dangerous for your baby. You’ll need a Tdap vaccine during the 27th through 36th week of each of your pregnancies. Tdap protects against whooping cough, which can be life-threatening for newborns. About half of babies younger than 1 year old who get whooping cough need treatment in the hospital. Some of these babies, particularly those  younger than 2 months, don’t survive. While some babies cough a lot, other babies with whooping cough don’t cough at all. Instead, the disease can cause them to stop breathing and turn blue. Siblings, parents or caregivers who don’t know they have whooping cough can infect babies, since the disease often causes mild symptoms in older children and adults.

4. Catching flu when you are pregnant can lead to serious complications. You’re healthy, and maybe you’ve had flu before and it wasn’t that bad. But changes in your immune, heart and lung functions during pregnancy make you more likely to get seriously ill from flu. You also have a higher risk of pregnancy complications such as preterm labor and preterm birth if you get the flu. Catching flu might also increase your chances for serious problems for your baby. Children younger than 2 are more likely to end up in the hospital from flu. Get a flu shot if you are pregnant during flu season; it’s the best way to protect yourself from flu and prevent flu-associated pregnancy complications. Flu vaccine can be given during any trimester.

5. Timing is everything. You know all about timing. Week after week, you are tracking your baby’s growth and development and counting down the days until you meet your little one. When it comes to vaccines, timing is also key. Flu seasons vary in their timing from season to season, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October. This helps ensure you are protected before flu activity begins to increase. While a flu shot protects you and your newborn baby, the Tdap vaccine primarily protects your baby. For this reason, you should get it in your third trimester, between the 27th and 36th week, so you pass the greatest number of protective antibodies to your baby before birth.

6. Anyone who is around your baby needs vaccines, too. Newborns do not have fully developed immune systems, making them particularly vulnerable to infections. Older kids and adults can infect babies with flu and whooping cough, even if they don’t feel sick themselves. Because of this, anyone who is around babies should be up to date on all routine vaccines, including Tdap and flu. This includes parents, siblings and any other caregivers, like grandparents, nannies or babysitters. Anyone who needs vaccines should get them at least two weeks before meeting the baby because it takes that long to develop antibodies after vaccination.

7. If you get pregnant again, you’ll need vaccines again. One and done doesn’t apply when it comes to vaccines that are recommended for pregnant women. The amount of antibodies you have in your body after getting vaccinated decreases over time. When you get a vaccine during one pregnancy, your antibody levels may not stay high enough to provide protection for future pregnancies, even if your babies are close in age. So, make sure you give baby number 2 (and 3 and 4) the greatest number of protective antibodies and the best disease protection possible by getting your whooping cough vaccine each time you are pregnant. You should also get a flu shot every influenza season.

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The big issue isn’t whether well-educated, middle-class moms choose to breastfeed their babies. The real problem—and one we should be talking fiercely about—is breastfeeding inequality.

Socioeconomic forces are drastically affecting breastfeeding rates in the U.S., and globally. The result: A huge number of mothers are not getting an equal opportunity to breastfeed their babies.

The stats may shock you.

Why It’s a Problem

• Socioeconomically disadvantaged moms are far less likely to breastfeed (or meet the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for optimal breastfeeding).
• Babies born into conditions of hardship tend to receive less adequate health care, parental involvement and nutritious supplementary solid food once weaning begins.
• Essentially, the health benefits of breastfeeding are even more important for less-well-off mothers and their babies, and yet far fewer are breastfeeding.
• This inequality is a shocking reality that must be tackled.

Let’s dig into the data to see the extent of the problem.

The Zip code lottery. State to state, breastfeeding rates vary enormously. Mothers living in richer states, like California, are far more likely to breastfeed than those in poorer states, such as Louisiana. Breastfeeding rates are correlated with family income and local hospital practices, among other factors.

With regards to hospitals, 24 percent of babies born in the U.S. are born in Baby-Friendly designated facilities. The Baby-Friendly designation is awarded to hospitals that meet the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding guidelines. These are a set of practices and procedure such as educating families to make informed decisions about infant feeding and offering expert lactation support throughout and beyond the hospital stay.

Currently, 1 in 6 hospitals or birthing centers in the U.S. is Baby-Friendly designated. These are disproportionately represented in wealthier states where there is more money available to implement the initiative.

Education. The higher her level of education, the more likely a mother is to breastfeed her child. Only 36 percent of mothers whose education level is high school exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first three months. In contrast, 56 percent of mothers with an advanced degree do so.

Earnings. Just 38 percent of mothers living below the poverty threshold will breastfeed their baby until 6 months, whereas 68 percent of mothers from wealthy families (earning six times over the threshold) will do so.

That is a huge disparity, which is made all the more stark when you consider that in 2016 there were 40.6 million people in poverty in the U.S. That’s a lot of babies not breastfed, simply because of the socioeconomic conditions they were born into.

Some reasons that well-off mothers have improved breastfeeding rates are:

• Longer maternity leaves;
• Jobs that allow for pumping breaks;
• Better support networks;
• Better hospital practices;
• Ability to hire outside help;
• A culture that unconsciously views breastfeeding as a desirable status symbol.

Urban/rural divide. Mothers in rural communities are less likely to initiate breastfeeding (42 percent of rural mothers will breastfeed to 6 months as opposed to 55 percent of urban mothers).

Studies indicated that rather than being caused by some inherent urban or rural culture, it has far more to do with confounding factors, such as maternal ethnicity and poverty level. Mothers living in rural communities are more likely to have a lower income and work in a job that doesn’t allow as maternity leave and doesn’t provide a lactation programme. They are also less likely to receive social breastfeeding support.

Ethnicity. There are significant disparities in breastfeeding rates among Asian, Black, Hispanic and White mothers. A major part of this trend has to do with socioeconomic measures such as poverty, education and relationship status.

Reasons for the difference, however, run deeper than income. Other influencing factors include whether a mother receives supplementary breastmilk in hospital, whether she has experienced a close family member breastfeeding and whether she believes breast is best.

One startling statistic is that Black mothers are nine times more likely to be given formula in the hospital than White mothers.

Another interesting insight is that Hispanic mothers from low-income families are more likely to breastfeed than their Black or White counterparts. The reasons appear to be that Hispanic mothers tend to experience another family member breastfeeding. This intergenerational influence plays a huge role in whether a mother chooses and successfully breastfeeds.

Formula use in the hospital. Breastfeeding rates differ from hospital to hospital. It is in part a worrying reflection on the differing quality of maternity and lactation support. (The silver lining is that this area may be one of the easier wins in the fight to reduce inequality.)

Use of formula within hospitals is an issue. Firstly, 66 percent of hospitals reported giving breastfeeding mothers free infant formula in their hospital discharge packs. Hospitals generally do this as part of an agreement with commercial formula brands in return for free formula provision.

Perhaps even more worrying is that 24 percent of maternity services provide supplements of commercial infant formula as a general practice within the first 48 hours after birth.

Both practices have been shown to negatively affects whether a mother exclusivity breastfeeds and for how long she does so.

Lactation support in the workplace. In the U.S., only 28 percent of workplaces are lactation friendly (i.e., provide comfortable and private rooms where mothers can use breast pumps and store milk safely). These tend to be in middle to high-income jobs. This is bad news for the majority of working mothers and creates another dimension of inequality. Especially since 25 percent more women breastfeed to six months if their workplace provides decent lactation rooms and breaks to express.

Clearly, there is a long way to go before mothers are properly supported in their breastfeeding efforts within their workplace. This is having a significant impact on the number of babies getting breastfed across the U.S.

Marital status. Married women are more than twice as likely to breastfeed for  six months than mothers who have never married. Clearly, the support fathers can bring plays a significant role. New Zealand researchers found when dads cooked dinner (and washed up), it had a positive effect on the mother’s breastfeeding success. It allowed Mom time to focus on feeding the baby and provided her with rest that helped with maintaining her milk supply.

How to Reduce Breastfeeding Inequality

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The post Postpartum Depression Is My Truth appeared first on Black Health Matters.

But last year, they shared similar stories: Each experienced life-threatening pregnancy complications.

In that one way, these two superstars are just like millions of other black women in the United States.

Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s partly why the overall rate of pregnancy-related deaths has climbed over the past two decades, making the maternal mortality rate in the United States the worst in any industrialized country, according to a 2016 analysis published in the journal The Lancet.

“It’s basically a public health and human rights emergency because it’s been estimated that a significant portion of these deaths could be prevented,” said Dr. Ana Langer, director of the Women and Health Initiative at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

The reasons behind the racial disparities are many and complex, she said. Lack of access and poor quality of care are leadings factors, particularly among women at lower socioeconomic levels.

But there’s a bigger problem, Langer said. “Basically, black women are undervalued. They are not monitored as carefully as white women are. When they do present with symptoms, they are often dismissed.”

That’s what happened to Williams when she experienced a pulmonary embolism a day after giving birth to her daughter via cesarean section. Williams was gasping for breath and recognized that blood clots were blocking one or more of the arteries in her lungs.

“Because of my medical history with this problem, I live in fear of this situation,” she wrote in an essay about the issue last February. “So, when I fell short of breath, I didn’t wait a second to alert the nurses.”

But medical employees initially dismissed her concerns, wasting crucial time before her diagnosis and the treatment she specifically requested.

Williams’ story illustrates the biggest problem facing black women, even when they are successful and affluent, said Dr. Allison Bryant Mantha, vice chair of quality, equity and safety in the obstetrics and gynecology department of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

“Racism affects so many things before the patient even gets to the clinical encounter,” she said. “Both implicit bias and structural racism affect how women are cared for in the health care system.”

The cards are stacked against them once they enter that system, she said, pointing to the report, “Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care,” published by a division of the National Academy of Sciences.

The report’s researchers found that, among other factors, bias and stereotyping regarding people of color can impact the level of health care they receive.

That differential treatment can happen through direct care or from communication gaps in which crucial details about a patient’s medical history fail to get passed along, Bryant Mantha said.

“All told, some African American women are probably entering pregnancy less healthy than other women,” she said.

Last summer, Beyoncé revealed she had experienced toxemia, also known as pre-eclampsia, while she was pregnant with her twins. The condition left her entire body swollen and she was confined to bed rest for more than a month before she had an emergency C-section.

Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of all maternal death. Women who experience pregnancy complications – including pre-eclampsia – have a higher risk for developing heart disease following childbirth.

Dr. Emily Petersen, a medical officer in the CDC’s reproductive health division, said the federal government is working with state-based health care networks to standardize care and look for situations when interventions could make the biggest difference.

There’s also a push to increase education about bias.

“Some hospitals and health care systems have implemented training on implicit or unconscious bias,” Petersen said, “to think about how people’s backgrounds and unconsciousness may be affecting their care.”

Langer said publicizing cases such as Williams’ or those profiled in investigative stories in recent years by NPR and ProPublica also help tackle the problem.

“It’s important to illustrate what’s happening and make the public aware because it can encourage the health establishment to take on this crisis much more seriously,” she said.

In the end, said Bryant Mantha, the blame – and the solution to the problem of black women and pregnancy complications – belong to everyone.

“It feels like an (obstetrician) problem, but really, maternal mortality is a broader societal problem,” she said. “If everyone pays a little more attention to their piece of the pie, hopefully we can start to move the needle.”

From American Heart Association News

The post Why Are So Many Black Women Dying From Pregnancy Complications? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

“I would just hold her and cry all day,” Smith said.

At 18, Smith was caring for two children, 4-year-old Kelaiah and newborn Nelly, with little help from the partner in her abusive relationship. The circumstances were difficult, but she knew the tears were more than that.

“I really didn’t have a connection for her,” said Smith, now a motivational speaker and mother of three living in Philadelphia. “I didn’t even want to breastfeed because I didn’t want that closeness with her.”

The emotions were overwhelming, but Smith couldn’t bring herself to ask for help.

“You’re afraid to say it because you think the next step is [for the authorities] to take your children away from you,” she said. “You’re young and you’re African American, so it’s like [people are thinking], ‘She’s going to be a bad mom.’”

Smith’s concern was echoed by several black women interviewed for this story. Maternal health experts said some black women choose to struggle on their own rather than seek care and risk having their families torn apart by child welfare services.

Nationally, postpartum depression affects 1 in 7 mothers. Medical guidelines recommend counseling for all women experiencing postpartum depression, and many women also find relief by taking general antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft).

In March, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first drug specifically for the treatment of postpartum depression, which can include extreme sadness, anxiety  and exhaustion that may interfere with a woman’s ability to care for herself or her family. The mood disorder can begin in pregnancy and last for months after childbirth.

But those advances help only if women’s needs are identified in the first place—a particular challenge for women of color and low-income mothers, as they are several times more likely to suffer from postpartum mental illness but less likely to receive treatment than other mothers.

The consequences of untreated postpartum depression can be serious. A report from nine maternal mortality review committees in the United States found that mental health problems, ranging from depression to substance use or trauma, went unidentified in many cases and were a contributing factor in pregnancy-related deaths. Although rare, deaths of new mothers by suicide have also been reported across the country.

Babies can suffer too, struggling to form a secure attachment with their mothers and increasing their risk of developing behavioral issues and cognitive impairments.

For many women of color, the fear of child welfare services comes from seeing real incidents in their community, said Ayesha Uqdah, a community health worker who conducts home visits for pregnant and postpartum women in Philadelphia through the nonprofit Maternity Care Coalition.

News reports in several states and studies at the national level have found that child welfare workers deem black mothers unfit at a higher rate than they do white mothers, even when controlling for factors like education and poverty.

During home visits, Uqdah asks clients the 10 questions on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale survey, one of the most commonly used tools to identify women at risk. The survey asks women to rate things like how often they’ve laughed or whether they had trouble sleeping in the past week. The answers are tallied for a score out of 30, and anyone who scores above 10 is referred for a formal clinical assessment.

Uqdah remembered conducting the survey with one pregnant client, who scored a 22. The woman decided not to go for the mental health services Uqdah recommended.

A week after having her baby, the same woman’s answers netted her a score of zero: perfect mental health.

“I knew there was something going on,” Uqdah said. “But our job isn’t to push our clients to do something they’re not comfortable doing.”

About a month later, the woman broke down and told Uqdah, “I was lying to you. I really did need services, but I didn’t want to admit it to you or myself.”

The woman’s first child had been taken into child welfare custody and ended up with her grandfather, Uqdah said. The young mother didn’t want that to happen again.

Another hurdle for women of color comes from the tools clinicians use to screen for postpartum depression.

The tools were developed based on mostly white research participants, said Alfiee Breland-Noble, an associate professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center. Often those screening tools are less relevant for women of color.

Research shows that different cultures talk about mental illness in different ways. African Americans are less likely to use the term depression, but they may say they don’t feel like themselves, Breland-Noble said.

It’s also more common for people in minority communities to experience mental illness as physical symptoms. Depression can show up as headaches, for example, or anxiety as gastrointestinal issues.

Studies evaluating screening tools used with low-income African American mothers found they don’t catch as many women as they should. Researchers recommend lower cutoff scores for certain African American women in order to better identify women who needs help but may not be scoring high enough to trigger a follow-up under current guidelines.

It took Smith six months after daughter Nelly’s birth to work up the courage to see a doctor about her postpartum depression.

Even then, she encountered the typical barriers faced by new mothers: Therapy is expensive, wait times are long, and coordinating transportation and child care can be difficult, especially for someone struggling with depression.

But Smith was determined. She visited two different clinics until she found a good fit. After several months of therapy and medication, she began feeling better. Today, Smith and her three daughters go to weekly $5 movies and do their makeup together before big outings.

Other mothers never receive care. A recent study from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that only 1 in 10 women who screened positive for postpartum depression at the hospital’s urban medical practice sites sought any treatment within the following six months. A study examining three years’ worth of New Jersey Medicaid claims found white women were nearly twice as likely to receive treatment as were women of color.

Noticing that gap, the Maternity Care Coalition in Philadelphia tried something new.

In 2018, the nonprofit started a pilot program that pairs mothers with Drexel University graduate students training to be marriage and family counselors. The student counselors visit the women an hour a week and provide free in-home counseling for as many weeks as the women need. Last year, the program served 30 clients. This year, the organization plans to expand the program to multiple counties in the region and hire professional therapists.

It was a game changer for Stephanie Lee, a 39-year-old who had postpartum depression after the birth of her second child in 2017.

“It was so rough, like I was a mess, I was crying,” Lee said. “I just felt like nobody understood me.”

She felt shame asking for help and thought it made her look weak. Lee’s mother had already helped her raise her older son when Lee was a teenager, and many members of her family had raised multiple kids close in age.

“The black community don’t know postpartum,” Lee said. “There’s this expectation on us as women of color that we have to be … superhero strong, that we’re not allowed to be vulnerable.”

But with in-home therapy, no one had to know Lee was seeking treatment.

The counselors helped Lee get back to work and learn how to make time for herself—even just a few minutes in the morning to say a prayer or do some positive affirmations.

“If this is the only time I have,” Lee said, “from the time I get the shower, the time to do my hair, quiet time to myself—use it. Just use it.”

From Kaiser Health News

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She was scared to carry her son downstairs or drive him in a car. She couldn’t manage to continue law school―and could hardly leave the house―because she didn’t trust anyone to watch him. Her weight dropped from 140 to 115 pounds.

“It was very stressful for me mentally,” said Johnson, now 29, who lives in Clayton, N.C. And she found it hard to secure medical assistance because her Medicaid coverage ran out just two months after her son’s birth. Public health advocates are pushing to change that.

The difficulties Johnson faced contribute to the United States’ dismal record on maternal health. The U.S. is one of only three countries where maternal deaths are on the rise, joining Sudan and Afghanistan, according to the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, a program of the Council on Patient Safety in Women’s Health. And data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that about 700 women die in the U.S. every year from pregnancy complications. Sixty percent of those deaths are deemed preventable.

The post Medicaid Tweak Might Offer Means to Improve Maternal Health appeared first on Black Health Matters.

“People didn’t go out with the intention to be racist, but you still saw the impact that racism had,” said Payne, a labor and delivery nurse. “Black families were always held to a different standard, seen as more suspect. White patients were given leeway that black patients were never given.”

Payne tried raising the problem with her colleagues at the time, but no one wanted to listen. So, in between shifts at the Kansas City, Missouri, hospital, Payne began writing down what she saw and imagining how she would design a maternity care system that treated all women humanely.

“Uzazi Village was born in those journals on those night shifts,” she said.“I wanted to create models of care that basically circumvented systems that weren’t really intended to benefit black folks. Actually, I’d go even further and say they were designed specifically to exclude blacks folks.”

Now seven years old, Uzazi Village is a Kansas City-based nonprofit working to narrow disparities in maternal and infant health, particularly in black communities. Its signature program is Sister Doulas, which both trains doulas and serves as a community-based doula agency.

A growing body of research shows that doulas—nonclinical professionals who provide support and guidance to women during pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period—are a promising strategy for improving health outcomes, closing disparities and advancing equity in maternity care. In fact, a handful of states are beginning to extend Medicaid coverage for doula care.

“Just having an African American doula accompany an African American mother is really the secret sauce,” said Payne, who is also co-founder and executive director of Uzazi Village. “Having that cultural companioning and comfort really makes a difference to our mothers and fathers … When you wrap families in a cocoon of love and acceptance, they do better.”

The Sister Doulas training program includes an intensive eight-day curriculum that covers a range of reproductive care, from birth to breastfeeding to sexual health in between pregnancies, and requires all students to complete a 100-hour community health worker course. To date, Uzazi Village has trained hundreds of doulas and served hundreds of families.

“I created a work-around to protect black families until the system changes,” Payne said. “This is not an entirely clinical problem—this problem is rooted in systemic racism.”

From The Nation’s Health

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In fact, breastfeeding rates among all races stand at 49 percent at 6 months and 27 percent by the time baby is a year old. In 2012, 83 percent of white moms initiated breastfeeding, followed by 82 percent of Hispanic moms. African-American moms came in third place, with only 66 percent of us initiating. By the six-month mark, only 20 percent of us are still giving our babies nature’s first, best food.

Why is this still a problem in 2016, when we know well that breastfeeding provides myriad health benefits to both baby and mom, as well as reducing stress, supporting good mental health and strengthening the bond between mom and child? Why do we continue to ignore the reasons we should be breastfeeding when African Americans bear a large proportion of disease burden, morbidity and mortality, with the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality, all health concerns breastfeeding helps reduce?

Camille Clare, M.D., a New York OB/GYN and an associate professor at New York Medical College, recently sat down to discuss breastfeeding stumbling blocks and what we need to consider as we overcome these obstacles on the path to getting more black moms to breastfeed.

Black Health Matters: Talk to us about the reasons black women don’t breastfeed.

Camille Clare, M.D.: For over 30 years, African Americans have had the lowest breastfeeding rates. The reasons are many. Some include poverty, young moms and less social support. We know that age is one reason. Women younger than 20 are less likely to initiate breastfeeding. Those between 20 and 29 have a 60 percent initiation rate. Older moms initiate at 77 percent.

It’s more complicated than age, though, right?

Dr. Clare: There’s aggressive marketing by formula companies. White women led the charge to formula and black women followed. When white women switched back, led by celebrity cache, black women didn’t buy into it. There’s the role of racism, both internalized, which is a lack of self worth and confidence, and institutionalized, which includes poor hospitals and poor hospital practices. Cultural taboos play a part. For many women, breastfeeding was a topic that couldn’t be addressed in their families. Women were told breastfeeding is nasty. And you don’t talk about boobies, because breasts are seen as sexual. And there’s the enduring legacy of slavery. Older black women wanted to disassociate themselves from the past, from slavery and wet nursing, which gave breastfeeding’s benefits to white masters’ offspring, denying or limiting those advantages to slave infants.

What are some other things we need to consider when we look at the reasons black women don’t breastfeed and try to increase the numbers of those of us who do?

Dr. Clare: On a societal level, current policies affect whether people are successful in terms of breastfeeding. This is insurance, paid-leave policies, cultural attitudes about breasts, societal norms about bottle-feeding. On the community level, there’s a lack of peer support groups, cultural attitudes about formula or breast milk adequacy, the role formula companies and hospitals play. On the organizational level: What are the hospital’s practices? Is it Baby-Friendly? This is also where we take doctors’ influence and authority and workplace barriers into account.

On the interpersonal level, we know there is little or no intergenerational support. We also have to look at the role friends’ lack of knowledge or misinformation plays in whether or not a mom breastfeeds. Plus, general disapproval of nursing in public, a lack of support from partners and fathers, and a lack of discussion by health-care providers. And on the individual level, what are the personal obstacles—pain, discouragement, worry about baby? When there’s a lack of knowledge where can they seek answers and from whom? And again, cultural attitudes about breasts.

Besides increasing the percentages of women breastfeeding at the six-month and 1-year marks, what other goals has Healthy People 2020 set?

Dr. Clare: Employers with onsite lactation support, to reduce the proportion of breastfed newborns who receive formula supplementation in the first two days of life, to increase the percentage of live births occurring in facilities that recommend the Baby-Friendly environment.

The post Camille Clare, M.D.: Climbing Breastfeeding Stumbling Blocks appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The National Medical Association’s (NMA) Breastfeeding Medicine Alliance, established in 2014, has a healthy slate of programming set for this year’s NMA convention in Detroit. On the eve of the convention’s kickoff, Black Health Matters talked with Theodore Jones, M.D., director, Divisions of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Reproductive Genetics at Hutzel Women’s Hospital in Detroit, and the Breastfeeding Medicine Alliance’s section head, about what’s in store for this year’s session, which will take place August 5, from 8 a.m.-11 a.m.

Black Health Matters: What should attendees expect from this year’s breastfeeding programming?

Theodore Jones, M.D.: They should expect more exciting information and exposure to why it is so important to make sure that our patients think breastfeeding first. That is something that has been a part of our efforts over the last two years under the guidance of Dr. Victoria Green [director of Atlanta’s Grady Gynecology Comprehensive Breast Center] with our first Kellogg Foundation grant. She did a really wonderful job of making sure we did self evaluation to get a better sense of where we were as clinicians and as care providers in making sure patients think breastfeeding first. Not to mention we had this wonderful breastfeeding summit that occurred in Honolulu with two past surgeon generals talking about their commitment to breastfeeding.

We’re building upon that. We’re going to proceed on to what i think is the next step in this process, which is how do we take that information and motivation and translate it into some real action.

We’re going to talk about the Baby Friendly Initiative that is underway right now across the country, where hospitals are attempting to qualify for being designated as Baby Friendly, which means an institution is committed to breastfeeding for every woman who comes through their doors. It’s not an easy designation to achieve, but we have a real expert in that area, Dr. Paula Schreck, who is going to talk to us about her efforts at St. John’s Hospital in Detroit. She’s been the lead physician in their efforts to undergo that transition. She can talk about some of the challenges and rewards in making those changes.

There was a recent report that said hospitals in African-American communities were doing less to promote the benefits of breastfeeding, which could attribute to why our rates are lower than women of other races.

Dr. Jones: It’s not unique just to hospitals in communities of color. I’m at a hospital that too is challenged by that. They’ve decided not to get the Baby Friendly designation right now. What we hope is that after hearing about it and how others have been successful, including members of our own section, that people may go back with a renewed vitality to say, “Let’s take a look at this. Let’s see if we might be able to achieve this.”

That’s the thing that’s exciting about this! While Baby Friendly is not easy to achieve, it is achievable. There are resources available to help an institution create the necessary infrastructure and technical assistance it needs to go through the process.

What other programming is on the docket?

Dr. Jones: Kiddada Green, founding executive director of the Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association in Detroit—she worked with Dr. Schreck to create the community support for women who leave the hospital saying, “I do want to breastfeed, but don’t have the necessary support from family at home”—will discuss being able to be with peers who can provide support. That’s going to be critical to their success.

The next speaker, Kathi Barber, is an author who has written several books about aa women and bf from different vantage points, but the one we wanted to take advantage of is Lactation Management: Strategies for Working with African American Moms, the guide for lactating mothers who are going to return to the workplace. One of the things we all find really challenging these days is how does a mom who’s really committed to breastfeeding sustain her efforts in a world that is not really bending over backwards to help her be successful. The workplace becomes a big challenge, finding places where she can find privacy and quiet where she can pump. She’ll help us talk about those issues.

What about the part of the Affordable Care Act that mandates employers have to provide a private place for breastfeeding moms to pump?

Dr. Jones: [Silence] It’s not being enforced. The workplace should do a much better job of that. You can say something needs to happen, but if there are no consequences for it not happening, it won’t happen.

I understand you’re doing something unique with dads and breastfeeding.

Dr. Jones: Daryl Davidson, our last speaker, is a resident of Milwaukee who works with the Black Mothers Breastfeeding Alliance (there). [The Milwaukee Black Mothers Breastfeeding Alliance] started a very innovative fatherhood initiative that sought to have dads come to meetings where women were learning about breastfeeding and being supported in their efforts. They tried to support the men in the family in those efforts, talking about some of the challenges they may be dealing with and some of the opportunities they have to be supportive of the mothers in their lives. It’s a novel approach. It’s a relatively recent program, and he’s going to share with us some of their successes and some of their challenges.

I thought it would add a very unique perspective to the conversation so members of our section will leave with a lot of different viewpoints about how to get where we want to get. But the goal is still the same: really making sure our moms understand how critically important it is to breastfeed and what a real missed opportunity it is if we don’t or if we do it for less than six months.

Why is this topic so important now?

Dr. Jones: Unless we figure out a way to reclaim the legacy of health for our kids, we’re going to continue to climb this uphill battle of trying to help African-American babies survive and live longer, healthier lives. And the moms have health benefits from breastfeeding as well. We want to claim all of those.

What can—and should—physicians do better to that end?

Dr. Jones: It has to be something we talk about with the same sort of enthusiasm and confidence that we talk about other health issues. Whether it’s things that are bad for patients, like alcohol and drugs, or things that are affecting our patient’s health, like heart disease and obesity, we talk with a pretty good amount of confidence and commitment. But we sometimes take breastfeeding for granted. If the patient does it, great, but if she doesn’t, it’s not that big a deal. We have to start emphasizing from the earliest time of seeing our patients, laying the groundwork for why breastfeeding is important. Let’s talk about it, let’s talk about how you do it successfully.

It is not easy for the busy practitioner with an office full of women to do this efficiently. It takes time. It takes effort. But we have to figure out a way to do that. We can’t keep making excuses.

As a community, we need to start thinking in terms of our community embracing breastfeeding again. It has to start being the norm again.

What are the next steps, after the convention?

Dr. Jones: The next steps are to give our members as many tools as possible in terms of the Baby Friendly Initiative. We also want to continue to develop materials they can use to raise awareness. I have posters in my office, and I don’t think i’m the only one. But i can go to lots of offices and there’s nothing about breastfeeding.

We also will be utilizing opportunities to take advantage of social media, to sharpen our message for both the docs and for our patients who follow us on different social media platforms. We have to do this in a way that’s user friendly, accessible and allows patients to really take advantage of the information that we provide for them.

The post Theodore Jones, M.D.: The State of Breastfeeding, 2015 appeared first on Black Health Matters.

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Hearing that a baby has died is devastating for families.
Which is why clinicians who share the news must be sensitive and well-trained; parents often remember the exact moment they found out for years and decades to come.
“It’s almost as if a video camera starts in their mind and they remember those details about how they were told forever,” said Katherine J. Gold, M.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Michigan Medicine.
Dr. Gold and other U-M researchers recently examined the importance of this exchange in a mail-based survey of 1,400 mothers who experienced a perinatal loss—either due to a stillbirth in the second half of pregnancy or a death within the first month of a newborn’s life.
The researchers also wanted to know who was there to support the mother during delivery of a stillborn baby and who was present when her infant died.
Results showed a troubling divide: Women who had a stillbirth were far less likely to have social support—a partner, friend or family member—present at the time of delivery than women with live births.
And the survey found that black women were less likely than white women to receive the initial diagnosis of stillbirth from a physician or midwife, hearing the news more often from a nurse or ultrasonographer instead.
“These findings were pretty poignant because it’s such a difficult experience for any woman to go through this alone,” Dr. Gold said. “It’s also worrisome because we know social support dictates outcomes for future mental health issues.”
Dr. Gold’s findings were drawn from the Michigan Mothers Study, a survey that was done in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Gold’s research, published in the Journal of Perinatology, measured longitudinal mental, physical and reproductive health outcomes among bereaved mothers and those with a live birth over two years.
According to the National Institutes of Health, stillbirths occur in approximately 1 in 160 pregnancies. The majority of stillbirths happen before labor.
Stillbirth and infant mortality are associated with a variety of factors that include socio-economic status, older maternal age, maternal health, birth weight and preterm delivery.
There are several reasons why mothers are more likely to deliver a stillborn baby with only medical staff present and without friends or family.
“Often with a stillbirth, a baby is not full term and may be very small,” Dr. Gold said. “Women can go into labor and deliver rapidly, especially if this is not their first birth. They might deliver before a partner, spouse or family member can get to the room.”
Black babies, she notes, are more likely to be born to unmarried women, which might explain why black mothers went through a stillbirth delivery alone.
Still, Dr. Gold was surprised to find that black mothers—who have consistently had higher stillborn and infant mortality rates compared to other ethnic groups—were half as likely to have first heard about their stillbirth from a physician or midwife.
“Initially, I thought: ‘Wow, why aren’t physicians the ones telling these mothers their babies have died?’” Dr. Gold said. “I didn’t expect to find this and I think we need to understand why that is and if it’s something in the health system where we’re not treating patients equally—or does it have to do with their access to a physician or midwife?”
It’s common for a trained technician to administer ultrasounds during pregnancy, Dr. Gold said, which often makes those individuals the first ones to discover a stillbirth diagnosis.
Some mothers may find out their baby has died by asking during the scan; others may wait until a physician is available to explain the situation and answer questions.
“Physicians or midwives may not necessarily be the best people to share that information, but we don’t know if the people who are giving this bad news are trained to do so,” Dr. Gold said. “Parents may have lots of questions—particularly why and what happens next—and the person sharing bad news may not be in a position to answer those questions.”
Beyond training for physicians, midwives and other hospital team members who might end up telling a mother her baby has died, Dr. Gold also indicated a greater need for loss doulas.
Doulas are not medically trained but usually assist women during childbirth and provide support to the family after a baby is born.
Loss doulas specialize in a variety of types of perinatal loss—ectopic pregnancies, molar pregnancies and other miscarriages, stillbirths and neonatal loss. They are often present with families before or during delivery.
Loss doulas can help explain to a mother what has happened to her baby and inform her of options for creating memories of their baby.
It is also crucial for health systems to provide quality support and resources for grieving mothers and families once they return home, Dr. Gold notes.
Dr. Gold said she will continue to investigate the topic and gather more details about the experiences of bereaved mothers.
Her goal: encouraging health systems to get the appropriate clinicians properly trained to deliver difficult diagnoses and support to families once they leave the hospital.
“There are a lot of issues around improving care for these families,” she said. “Thinking about how we support families after a death is really important.”
From Michigan Health

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My colleagues and I work with mothers to help them navigate their breastfeeding journey and meet their personal feeding goals.
Through years of supporting new moms, we’ve identified a few pieces of advice. They’re not about what to buy or arrange your nursery but rather about how to prepare for one of the most beautiful—yet challenging—experiences you’ll encounter as a mother.
Clear out distractions. The time you’ll spend feeding your baby during the first weeks can be shocking for new moms. Newborn babies have small tummies and typically need to be fed around the clock every two to three hours. Especially for moms who struggle a bit with feeding at the beginning, it can seem that there is little time for anything other than feeding and changing your baby.
Freeze dinners in advance for those first couple of weeks. Initiate conversations with family and friends about when visitors will be welcome and how they can help. Prioritize the need to rest, bond with your baby and establish your breastfeeding relationship.
Sleep. Really. Sleep becomes a precious commodity after the birth of a baby. Interrupted sleep can play havoc with maternal moods when accompanied by hormonal changes and breastfeeding challenges. Try and compensate for interrupted night sleep by taking frequent naps during the day when baby is sleeping. Resist the urge to resume all prior chores and responsibilities, and delegate to family and friends during the newborn transition.
Identify a support system. In addition to lactation consultants and your pediatrician, every breastfeeding mother needs a breastfeeding “cheerleader.” Have a person (or persons) picked out—someone who supports your decision to breastfeed, has been through the breastfeeding journey and will know where you’re coming from. It can also be helpful to look into local breastfeeding support groups.
Trust yourself. Breastfeeding challenges are common in the first couple of weeks and most resolve with time and a little guidance. Unfortunately, when compounded by lack of sleep and postpartum hormones, breastfeeding challenges can make you feel confused and vulnerable.
Social media, in particular, can be a great source of support for breastfeeding mothers, but it can also cause angst and confusion. Don’t compare yourself to others. Every breastfeeding mother’s relationship with her baby is different. What worked for one mom may not work for you, but that is not something you can control and is certainly not your fault.
You will know your baby better than anyone else. Rely on your breastfeeding support system to help filter out discouraging information and on lactation consultants and breastfeeding-friendly pediatricians to help you sort through all the “advice” and help you make a plan for any challenges you face.
Know it’s worth it. Despite the challenges, most mothers do not regret the time and effort they invest in breastfeeding or providing breast milk to their babies. It is for the lifelong health of both mom and baby, though it takes time, patience, and perseverance.
The loving bond between a mother and her infant is unlike any other human relationship. The desire to provide your baby with the best nutritional start in life is a powerful motivation, and the time you spend feeding your baby during these early days is one of the most important moments you’ll ever spend.
You will settle into the right routine for you and your baby with patience and support.
From Michigan Health

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Obesity before pregnancy increases the likelihood that women with low-risk pregnancies and who haven’t previously had a cesarean section will deliver by C-section, according to a new study.

“The likelihood of a primary cesarean increased consistently across categories of obesity in a population of low-risk women who would otherwise be likely candidates for a vaginal birth, even after controlling for demographic and medical risk factors,” said lead author Eugene Declercq, professor of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health.

The study, published online in the journal Birth, has the strongest evidence yet identifying pre-pregnancy obesity as an independent risk factor for cesarean delivery. The research  team analyzed birth certificate data from 2012 for more than 2.2 million new mothers in 38 states who had not had prior cesareans. Overall, 46 percent of mothers were considered overweight (25 percent) or obese (21 percent).

Rates of cesareans were 1.6 to 2 times higher for obese women than for those of normal weight category, the study found, with higher rates among very obese women. The rate of cesareans for lower-risk women in the normal-weight range was 14.6 percent, according to the study. That increased to 22.9 percent for women in the lower obesity range, and 35.1 percent for women at the high end of the range. Among first-time mothers, more than two in five with pre-pregnancy obesity had C-sections.

Earlier research has shown a connection between obesity and C-sections, but several factors limited those studies, including reliance on survey samples or use of older data. Rates of both obesity and cesarean deliveries have increased in recent years. African-American women carry the largest burden of obesity in this country.

Researchers say there is no clear-cut reason why the primary cesarean rate would be higher in obese women, even when they controlled for maternal age, hypertension, and other medical and social risk factors. One possible reason could be that obese patients are monitored more closely because of a greater risk of stillbirth, which could trigger more interventions. Another reason is that labor management could be influenced by maternal weight, and practitioners may initiate surgery earlier on obese patients to avoid an emergency procedure or complication, though there are added risks associated with surgery in obese patients.

Declercq said that though the once-rapid growth of pre-pregnancy obesity in this country has slowed, “the consequences of having hundreds of thousands of United States mothers begin their pregnancy obese remains.” And while campaigns to prevent maternal obesity may be “challenging,” they are “necessary steps in mitigating the negative effects of obesity on maternal and infant health.”

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