What will we do to reverse this awful health trend?
by Ngozi Osuagwu, MD | March 26th, 2023
A few weeks ago, I was invited to participate in a workshop entitled AFTERSHOCK: A Discussion of the Maternal Health Inequities in Black Women. All participants are required to watch the film AFTERSHOCK before the event. I am embarrassed as an OB/GYN that I was unaware of the film until I was invited to this event. The film deals with the US maternal health crisis through the stories of two bereaved families. Shamony Gibson and Amber Rose Isaac lost their lives due to childbirth complications. I would encourage all of you to watch the film. The film is streaming on Hulu.
The film reminds us that maternal health is a human rights issue. Every woman deserves to live after giving birth and raise her child. I believe that we can all play a role in making the United States of America a safe place for all women to give birth.
Last week, I shared the blog I wrote, Behind the Numbers, There are Names on LinkedIn, asking: What will we do to reverse this awful health trend? I got a response from a classmate from medical school who connected me with Dr. Tolúwalàṣé (Laṣé) Ajayi, MD, FAAP, the lead researcher for PowerMom.
PowerMom is working towards reducing health disparities and learning more about what leads to healthy pregnancies and healthy babies for every pregnant person. It is an app-based research for pregnant women. The goal is to collect data from across the country to figure out what can be done to make pregnancy safer in the future. It is easy, free, and convenient. If you know someone who is pregnant, please share the information about PowerMom.
There is a reluctance to participate in research. However, we can only make a difference in health care if we are willing to engage in research. I will always be grateful to those who participated in the initial COVID vaccine trials before it was made available to the public.
