Maternity resources for Black moms | hioscar Blog | Oscar
Maternity resources for Black moms
Get the care you deserve—during your pregnancy and beyond.
Maternity & Newborn CareClinically Speaking
5 min read
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Get the care you deserve—during your pregnancy and beyond.
Everyone, no matter who they are, should feel respected, heard, and valued during pregnancy. Yet it’s an unfortunate fact that in this country, many Black women—regardless of where they live, their income, age, or level of education—do not have an equitable maternity experience in our healthcare system. This must change.
Black women are at a higher risk of pregnancy-related death three times higher than their white peers. For women over the age of 30, that risk can be as much as five times higher. Further, Black women deliver preterm more often than white women, and their babies have more than twice the infant mortality rate of other racial groups. These women are often subjected to unequal treatment in the options they are presented during delivery and labor, and how doctors speak to them.
The systemic racism present in healthcare has resulted in a crisis of trauma. And the racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes have only made things worse.
One way to begin improving these outcomes is for Black women to be given more resources, knowledge, and support to ensure their needs are met. We’re here to help with some useful information for your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience, and tips to help you feel safe and strong—and above all, receive equitable treatment from your healthcare team.
Let’s talk about race
It can be uncomfortable to address the issue of race with your provider. But if you’re feeling anxiety or concern over how you’ll be treated—by doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and others—having a candid conversation early on is worthwhile. If that provider isn’t receptive to the discussion, or who doesn’t listen well, you deserve someone who does.
You might raise the topic of bias by mentioning and maternal care. Or you might ask your provider to ensure that you will be given the same options and resources as any patient would.
One of the ways that racism is present during the health care journey is when diagnostic or therapeutic care is changed because of a patient’s race, which can put the patient at risk or simply pose more obstacles to getting the best care. You deserve to have the care that’s right for you, whether during your pregnancy, birth, or postpartum.
How racism can impact your pregnancy
Of course there are the negative effects on mental health (opens in new tab), but racism can take a physical toll, too: studies show that it can lead to higher blood pressure (hypertension) and increased rates of heart disease. It is recommended that women with risk factors should have extra cardiovascular screening during pregnancy, plus follow-up exams with a cardiologist or primary care provider. Check with your doctor to find out if you fall into this category.
Symptoms of heart and blood pressure problems in pregnancy include severe headaches, vision changes, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain, and increased swelling in the hands, face, and feet. These could also be signs of preeclampsia, which generally show up earlier in Black women and tend to affect them more severely than with white women.
When you’re planning for your pregnancy, it’s also important to take stock of your resources.
“Make sure the time is right,” says Oscar social worker Vickie McDonald. “Think in advance about child care, back up providers, and think about what parenting techniques you might use.”
For additional assistance, she recommends engaging with your local Healthy Start program (opens in new tab), a program focused on addressing health care inequities that women, children, and families face.
How to take care of yourself
Below are some tips to help you feel safe and supported during your pregnancy.
For appointments with your provider, you might want to write down questions before so you’ll go in feeling prepared. You might also want to bring along a support person, such as a family member, doula, or friend, as an advocate and to help ensure that your concerns are addressed.
Talk with a therapist or faith leader to get the mental health support you need.
Make time for distanced walks with a partner, family member, or friend, or just go solo. Also, it’s good to talk with mom friends who can offer advice or some much-needed laughs. If you can spare the time, set up regular phone calls or video chats with someone you love and trust, and who makes you feel good about yourself.
McDonald notes that it’s important to ask yourself if you have family members who will be supportive, and to think about who your go-to person is when you need to talk or "exhale."
Get your blood pressure monitored regularly. The first few weeks following delivery are especially critical.
Take a birthing class to find out more about labor and delivery, and the options that are available to you. Also, create a document listing your preferences for the big day (known as a birth plan). Discuss them ahead of time with your provider and be sure to bring printout copies to the hospital or the facility where you are giving birth. This will ensure that your preferences are understood, such as what’s used for managing pain, or whether you’ll want to try breastfeeding (opens in new tab). Plus, here (opens in new tab) is a helpful resource on protecting your care preferences during labor and delivery.
“Rest, rest, rest. Get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water,” says McDonald, making sure you’re always aware of your body’s needs. Check out The Nap Ministry (opens in new tab) on the importance of rest.
Prenatal Yoga (opens in new tab) can be a great way to prepare for the birth and relax your mind. You’ve also got access to our new Fhitting Room (opens in new tab) partnership, with special prenatal classes. (Please avoid laying flat on your back after the second trimester, but consult with your provider about which activities are safe for you at various stages of pregnancy.)
How Oscar can help
You can call our Emotional Support Helpline toll-free at (866) 342-6892. Optum, our behavioral health benefits partner, offers a helpline that’s free to use, and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Finally, you can call your Care Team at 1-855-672-2755 for guidance. We want to support you so that you don’t feel alone.
Virtual Urgent and Primary Care Providers are employed by Oscar Medical Group and are not employed by Oscar Health, Inc.
This content does not constitute medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, including diagnosis or treatment. Contact your physician with any questions you may have regarding your personal health. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, dial 911 for immediate
