DES MOINES, Iowa — April 11-17 is Black Maternal Health Week, a time to shed light on the crisis Black mothers face during pregnancy and childbirth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black Women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
"Every Black mom should have a doula, period," Ebonie Bailey, a Black doula and member of Iowa Black Doula Collective, said.
Bailey believes if Black expectant mothers did have a doula who looked like them, it would probably help cut down on the issues Black mothers face related to pregnancy.
Bailey has been a doula for five years and helps women before, during and after pregnancy.
"We like to alleviate as much stress as humanly possible from the birthing family," Bailey said.
Even though she's there to get rid of a pregnant woman's stress, Bailey's goal is to make sure a Black woman is attended to in her time of need.
"As women of color, we have been marginalized for so long and not listened to for so long and it can be very intimidating to be in a situation where you are the one in pain," she said. "And you just need that extra push to say this isn't okay, what's happening ."
To get her clients to the point of being able to speak up and address how they feel to doctors, she teaches them to gain a deeper understanding of themselves.
"I am empowering my clients to be able to speak up for themselves, I'm giving them the tools before they even head to the hospital," Bailey said.
She noted, empowering clients to speak up for themselves is important, especially if that client feels something is not right.
That's because, in Iowa, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health, pregnancy-related deaths for Black Women are almost 36.9 per 100,000 live births.
For white women, it's six deaths per 100,000 live births.
"As doulas, it's our passion we're challenging the providers respectfully, but challenging the providers we're challenging the nurses to see you as they see themselves," Bailey said.
The White House released a proclamation this week recognizing Black Maternal Health Week and vowing to take steps to address the Black maternal health crisis.
For more information on how Bailey and others are working to promote Black maternal health, you can attend one of the "Celebration of Black Kin Conference" livestreams.