SEATTLE — Black Maternal Health Week is recognized each year from April 11 to 17 to bring attention and action to improving Black maternal health.
“I find that Black Maternal Health Week is vital to celebrating, as well as just amplifying the necessary work that’s needed throughout the year all the time,” said Sauleiha Akangbe, a fourth-generation doula and founder of the JUST Birth Network at Providence Swedish. “Making sure we can empower, celebrate, bring joy and most importantly, educate those who are providing the services to these Black women.”
More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable. Racial inequities have persisted in maternal and infant care in the U.S., despite advancements in medicine and healthcare.
JUST Birth, which stands for Justice, Unity, Support and Trust, was founded as part of Swedish’s commitment to addressing these inequities experienced by patients and communities.
“We know that our patients, our families are deserving of having a good experience, of feeling culturally well, feeling unapologetically Black and coming as their full selves when coming to our hospital spaces,” Akangbe said.
JUST Birth provides care and guidance for Black, African American, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Latinx women and birthing people with a team of caregivers that is representative of the communities they are serving.
The program includes dedicated cultural navigators, childbirth educators and birth and postpartum doulas. The JUST Birth team also works with community organizations to ensure patients are getting culturally affirming care and support.
Swedish recently hosted a multi-day event to celebrate Black Maternal Health Week.
“We wanted to ensure that our Providence community overall, whether that be the providers, the employees or the communities who come and receive services at Swedish, were ultimately able to decompress with one another in a way that felt healthy and felt good,” Akangbe said.
The event showcased community speakers and caregivers who shared insight on promoting culturally affirming care for Black mothers and their families. Participants also celebrated with dance, music, drumming and artwork.
To learn more about the JUST Birth Network and care at Swedish, visit the Providence Swedish website.
Sponsored by Providence Swedish
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