Really important read! 5 stars

I had some awareness of the fact that Black women face a higher maternal fatality rate than their non-Black counterparts, but I did not know much more than that regarding this issue. Dr. Rainford does a fantastic job of comprehensively explaining the various factors that contribute to this unacceptable reality in a way that is easy to understand. Increased awareness around this issue is extremely important, and this book is an apt tool to help spread that awareness.
Note: I received a free copy of this book through the Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This book was as tragic as it was eye opening. Written by an African American, she highlighted the higher risk that a black women (even a upper class black woman) has when having a baby. The mortality rate is astronomically higher, and complaints that would be heard and addressed by other races are frequently discounted by doctors and medical professionals. Although these statistics are known (in general) it was wonderful to have them all in one place.
Great book to read and have for my own library.

Pregnant While Black: Reshaping the Story of an American Tragedy is about the implicit bias, struggles, and time constraints that are limited to Black women while pregnant. Between Dr. Rainford's personal stories, journal articles and statistics about the life expectancy of a Black woman during childbirth, and how the medical system fails her and so many other Black women daily. From medical professionals not taking Black women's concerns seriously, as they would sometimes anyone else's, is mind boggling. Dr. Rainford noted that, “…Black women across socioeconomic lines have been disparaged, berated, and had their concerns minimized by their doctors or other healthcare providers” (Rainford, p.40).
As a Black woman myself, I reflect on the times that I went to the ER in college, and thankfully had a few people medical professional that listened to me. But the one thing that always stood out to me, was a male doctor that is a Person of Color (POC), and he informed me with very important information, "You bled more than normal, during the procedure." The procedure I had in college was my appendicitis. Fast forward to 2019 for my myomectomy surgery, I informed my white OBGYN that the doctor which performed my emergency appendectomy stated that, "I bled more than normal". He stated, "good to know." By me informing my OBGYN of this not so important but important information, he sought out a fibroid specialist to provide me with a uterine embolization. As Dr. Rainford stated, this embolization cuts off the blood vessels to the area that does not need it. With my embolization, I had very little bleeding during my procedure.
I found all of Dr. Rainford’s information very important and enlightening because this is an epidemic that can be prevented. However, in today’s world, everyone believes that one’s race has nothing to do with anything, but on the other hand, it does. At the age of 35, I have yet to have a child of my own, but at the same time, I am terrified. Putting my life in harms way to bring a child into the world is a responsibility I can take on. However, do the medical professionals that are treating me think so? This topic is one I DO NOT want to become another static. Another statistic that’s going to get swept under the rug, even though this problem lingers. I believe that medical textbooks MUST be re-written and medical students need to be taught the truth about the field they are entering. They serve EVERYONE no matter how they look.
Overall, I recommend that couples read this book, especially if they are dating/married to a Black woman. The fathers of these children MUST have all the knowledge going into the hospital so that it does not sound like a different dialect. The importance of knowing what to do and strategizing a plan for getting the mother and child home. If the father seems like this might be an overwhelming task, hire a doula so that they can speak and advocate on the mother’s behalf. Object of this game is listening to the mother and advocating for her until she receives the best care possible! ( )

This was an amazing book. I already knew that our maternal mortality rate in America is bad and worse for POC but the stats are staggering. I also did not understand why. The last few years, I have been trying to become more socailly aware and the institutional racism is so hard for me to process. I have read several books on the subject and it breaks my heart. I am so ready for the day when people are people and it doesn't matter the color of their skin or who they love or if they are not able-bodied.

This book was well written and easy to read. Not easy reading though. The subject was tough but it was written in a way that most should be able to understand it. I am very glad I won this ARC from LibraryThing. Thank you for my book. ( )