Racism and the Reproductive Health Experiences of U.S.-Born Black Women

Abstract

For some participants, these racialized experiences affected their sexuality throughout their lives.

Listening to patients: Opportunities to improve reproductive wellness for women with chronic conditions

“…Our findings about the challenges involved in obtaining reproductive health care, particularly the need for self‐advocacy and being highly involved in directing their own care, aligned with a study by Treder et al who identified medical racism and “self‐protective actions when interacting with the reproductive health care system.” 51 The authors concluded that “self‐protective actions” such as seeking out providers of color, overpreparing for appointments, and finding advocates were triggered by experiences with racism and “promot[ed] safety, autonomy and rehumanization within a system that has historically and contemporarily devalued Black reproductive health.” 51 Future researchers in this area will need to acknowledge and work with the strength of these self‐protective actions while at the same time working with communities to develop innovative strategies that improve quality of care and promote trust. Based on our findings, coordinated care models with peer navigators is one such innovation 52 …”

Foreword: Respectful, Equitable, and Supportive Postpartum Care

“…22 In a qualitative study, Treder and colleagues explored the reproductive health experiences of US-born Black women. 23 One participant said, "If I felt like someone's already prejudiced before they even see me, before they even look at my chart, I'm not going to show up." For too many birthing people, healthcare is a place of last resort rather than a source of ongoing support.…”

“…As Laurie Zephryin writes, disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality are the legacy of systemic racism and the “hierarchy of human value entrenched in policies and practices affecting health and health care” 22. In a qualitative study, Treder and colleagues explored the reproductive health experiences of US-born Black women 23. One participant said, “If I felt like someone’s already prejudiced before they even see me, before they even look at my chart, I’m not going to show up.” For too many birthing people, healthcare is a place of last resort rather than a source of ongoing support.…”

Implications of the Strong Black Woman Stereotype for Maternal and Perinatal Health: A Short Note

“…Operationalizing diverse forms of racism is essential to dismantling inequities in maternal and perinatal health and is a necessary step toward reproductive health justice for Black women in the United States (U.S.). Despite the well-known negative association between racism and health outcomes among U.S. minority racial groups [1,2], scant research exists examining the associations between internalized racism and stress and their impact on maternal mental health and birth outcomes [3]. This limitation is problematic.…”

“…Internalized racism is the unconscious appropriation of the dominant White culture's actions, beliefs, and stereotypes about racialized peoples [3]. Not to be mistaken for individual pathology, it takes shape through frequent and enduring exposure to multiple…”