Mario Gutierrez’s Post

Getting closer and closer to 10,000 items in Not the Only One! Mortality rate for Black babies is cut dramatically when Black doctors care for them after birth, researchers say Citing systemic racism, they say more work needs to be done to understand what they found. https://lnkd.in/dNEgPCs Found via nottheonlyone.org as one of 9900+ #DEI #Diversity, #Equity and #Inclusion items.

Let me emphasize something about the headlines concerning the dangers of AI and cognitive bias to the non-expert. The systems reflect our current cultural state, not the technology's potential for good or evil. Tech is a tool. A hammer can build a hammer can or a hammer can destroy. It only extends the intention of the user, their nervous system, and the collective nervous system of the culture who is using it. When we find problems with the outputs, we identify problems with our thinking. Black women and birth have been mainly on my radar as I have a close friend who is African American who has had multiple close calls, and her experience of birth is just different. There hasn't even been an analysis of her outcomes with her own healthcare providers, even though she is multiparous and has the same problems each time she gives birth. It's a Hail Mary pass that saves her every time. I fear the day the pass does not arrive in the end zone. Leaving my precious friend's life to chance. The point is not to use this tech to replicate our already broken thinking and failed analyses. It's to augment and rocket fuel our thirst for better outcomes in all things. Everything about this is brilliant. It demonstrates the simple truth: Digital Transformation is not a business problem. It's a social and cultural one. The sooner we realize that, the better it will be for all. #ai #singularxq #endobstetricviolence #thinkingintoresults

We will know we are making progress on health equity when Black people who give birth no longer fear they will not survive childbirth. Supporting organizations led by women of color is one way we can pave the way, together, toward solutions to the Black maternal health crisis. As you’ll see in the great videos linked below, doulas and midwives are important catalysts for advancing birth justice through compassionate, quality care for people who give birth. I continue to be inspired by our grantees who demonstrate that communities closest to the problems are also closest to the solutions. https://lnkd.in/ebwTBFct

Hospitals often fail to recognize the sacredness of birth... "Black women make up 13% of those giving birth, yet they account for 26.7% of maternal deaths." Communities of color face pervasive medical racism and discrimination within hospital environments, characterized by inadequate medical care, implicit biases, and systemic oppression. Elevating the voices of BIPOC individuals and advocating for legislative change are paramount. This article effectively dissects health advocacy and reform.

During #BlackMaternalHealthWeek, it's essential to shed light on the complex factors contributing to the current state of Black maternal health in the U.S. A recent issue brief by the National Partnership for Women and Families examines the interplay of systemic racism, discrimination in healthcare, and economic inequities that lead to disparate maternal health outcomes for Black women. Economic inequities, in particular, have a significant impact on Black maternal health. Studies show that Black women face wealth and income gaps, which can negatively affect their health outcomes. They also report that adults in communities of color, especially Black adults, are more likely to have medical debt reported to collections. Rivia Health recognizes the importance of addressing economic barriers to maternal healthcare. We ensure women have access to zero-interest, credit-risk-free financing, preventing them from being sent to collections or resorting to financing healthcare payments with credit card debt. Our platform makes it easier for patients to become aware of, understand, manage, and pay their bills, empowering them to take control of their financial health during this critical time. Through our work, Rivia Health aims to reduce disparities in maternal health outcomes for Black women by addressing the economic challenges they face. We believe that all mothers deserve access to quality healthcare without compromising their financial stability. To learn more about the factors influencing Black maternal health and the importance of a multifaceted approach to addressing this issue, we encourage you to read the full issue brief by the National Partnership for Women and Families. https://lnkd.in/ghKN8dC2

🌎Advocating for Equity in Maternal Health🤰🤰 As we observe Black Maternal Health week from April 11-17, #maternalhealth it’s crucial to confront stark reality: Black women face a staggering three times higher risk of pregnancy-related deaths. Pregnant individuals and their families play a pivotal role. Encourage open communication with healthcare providers, fostering an environment where concerns are heard and addressed promptly. #healthandsafety #pregnancyhealth Recognizing maternal warning signs, severe headaches, extreme swelling, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding- is crucial for timely intervention. For hospitals and healthcare systems, this is a call for systemic change. Together, we can reshape the narrative and ensure every pregnant individual receives the care they deserve. #wolomi #healthforall #healthblog #healthawareness #blackmaternalhealth 🌟⭐️👶 https://lnkd.in/e5YEi2A

Nationally, Native American and Black women, according to the CDC, are twice as likely as white women to die of pregnancy-related causes. And when there isn’t a death, bias and discrimination can still lead to harm. A survey commissioned by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota revealed that more than half the respondents — all Black birthing people in Minnesota — cited discrimination as having a negative effect on their health. The survey also indicated that many respondents had low confidence that their needs were being met, especially postpartum needs. Community-led efforts that center cultural wisdom are key to addressing maternal health inequities. "By listening to birthing parents and providing them with education, resources and the ability to craft culturally affirming birthing experiences, these providers are making sure that Black and Indigenous birthing parents can have healthy, affirming experiences giving birth." 

Each year in the United States, hundreds of mothers die during pregnancy or in the year after. Thousands more have unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery with serious short- or long-term health consequences. Every pregnancy-related death is tragic, especially because more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable. Recognizing urgent maternal warning signs, providing timely treatment, and delivering respectful, quality care can prevent many pregnancy-related deaths Read the full article to find out how you can help https://lnkd.in/gpXiKCUJ. #blackmaternalmortality #babyloss #infantloss #pregancyloss #africanwomen #blackwomen

April 11-17 is #BlackMaternalHealthWeek ! I had the pleasure of partnering with Michelle Hunsberger, as well as Dr. Jacqueline R. and Hashil Jamila of the BEN wOmen Executive Board to share some resources with our Black Women's affinity group, including this guide from the Hear Her Campaign. Hear Her seeks to raise awareness of urgent maternal warning signs during and after pregnancy and improve communication between patients and their healthcare providers, and through Dr. Jonathan Liu, MD, FACP's efforts, Amazon has created a partnership with this important campaign. Founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. (BMMA) in 2018, Black Maternal Health Week is an opportunity to raise awareness about these issues for our employees as well as for the community at large. Fast Facts about Black Maternal Health from the Emory School of Public Health: **Maternal mortality and morbidity are disproportionately high in Black women.** Black women in the U.S. die from pregnancy-related causes at over twice the rate of white women. As the overall maternal mortality rate has risen in recent years, this disparity has also become wider. Black women also experience higher rates of other pregnancy-related complications and health problems like high blood pressure and preterm birth.Systemic and environmental factors contribute to maternal health disparities. **Systemic racism is a large contributing factor to maternal health disparities. ** It drives social determinants of health like socioeconomic status, increases stress, and leads to provider bias, all of which can increase the odds of poor health outcomes for Black women. All of these factors can also compound the negative health effects from exposure to harmful substances in the environment. **Medicaid expansion, doula care, and other interventions can help improve Black maternal health outcomes.** Policy-level solutions are essential to help solve the Black maternal health crisis. One such solution is expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage, which many states have done in the past two years. Another opportunity to support Black maternal health through Medicaid expansion is to allow for Medicaid reimbursement of doula services. This would increase access to doulas, which could mitigate some effects of social determinants of health and improve birth outcomes. **Continued research and advocacy are needed to advance Black maternal health.** Improving maternal health outcomes, especially for Black women, requires continued research, more advocacy, and better data. It is also vital to partner closely with community members as academic and government institutions launch new research initiatives and programs to address this issue. #BMHW24 #BlackMamasMatter #ReproJustice #BirthJustice #MaternalEquity #BirthEquity

This week’s round-up has eye-opening research—like from our partner RMA of New York. Plus, #BlackMaternalHealthWeek is a reminder that there’s still so much to be done to support Black women in fertility and beyond. ✊…   1/Black Maternal Health Week spotlights the disparities in maternal care that Black mothers and would-be mothers face. https://lnkd.in/e6we-ef5 2/Progestins as an alt to GnRH antagonists have potential for preventing premature ovulation in IVF—possibly skipping injections. 😍 https://lnkd.in/eRkWnY_y 3/Research from Keri Bergin and Alan B. Copperman, MD, FACOG at RMA of New York shows most embryos have the same grade after freezing—but some get BETTER post-thaw. 🤯https://lnkd.in/eKEqR246  4/Ovary "atlas" could lead to restoring ovarian hormone production after chemo. 😮 https://lnkd.in/euhWSjiE   5/Vitamin D while undergoing ICSI could improve the number of quality embryos. https://lnkd.in/e96vtHWQ 6/Miscarriage can’t be predicted based on lifestyle, only age and history, study concludes. https://lnkd.in/e7HX-Djj 7/Older age, Hashimoto's disease, and male smoking were negatively associated with blastocyst quality in Eastern Asian couples, while sleep, computer use (!), and eating olive oil were positives. 👀 https://lnkd.in/erHi-eG8 8/Biden expands fertility benefits for federal workers up to $25K. 🎉 https://lnkd.in/enyZY8bA 9/Annie Daly with everything she wished she’d known from her 3 rounds of IVF. https://lnkd.in/eAgnT5bC 10/Noor Siddiqui of fellow fertility startup Orchid with a bad-ass profile in WIRED. https://lnkd.in/ewaQQScZ 11/Arizona brings us back to the 19th century (a time when women couldn’t even vote) with abortion ban. 😡 https://lnkd.in/eb4UpWbf 12/A beautiful profile of the first-ever gestational surrogacy, which resulted in my friend Jill Brand! https://lnkd.in/eqfmbv2z 13/EPA puts in place country’s first national limits on PFAS in water. 👏 https://lnkd.in/etZAvuGE 14/We have a must-read newsletter that comes out on Fridays. Sign up here! ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eZBEYJwA