An advocacy group expands to Florida to combat the Black maternal mortality rate
People of color in need of support during and after pregnancy can now get help in Florida.
An advocacy group called The SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective centers its mission on maternal health with its Birth Justice Care Fund.
The group’s director, Leah Jones, said Florida’s six-week abortion law is the reason why it is expanding to Florida.
“As we are seeing people being forced to go to term with pregnancies, of course, there is going to be an uptick of the need of essential items, there is going to be an uptick of the need for full spectrum doulas, for especially, maternal mental health therapy,” she said.
Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women.
A lack of quality health care, underlying chronic conditions and implicit bias are some of the factors experts cite as contributing to the racial disparity in maternal health outcomes.
“I’m concerned about the lives of pregnant people,” Jones said. “I’m concerned about birthing outcomes. What we’re finding out is it’s hard to say, ‘I need help.’ ”
The Birth Justice Care Fund provides doula care, maternal mental health therapy and baby supplies like diapers, bassinets, and breast pumps.
In addition, the fund assists pregnant people in accessing medical care.
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