fearful of trying for a third.
Many other Black mothers have stories like Walker’s, including Serena Williams, one of the most influential women in the world. After delivering her baby via C-section, Williams had a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that travels to the lungs. In a 2018 interview with Vogue, she recounted having to advocate for her needs explicitly when a nurse attributed her symptoms to confusion induced by pain medication.
“Implicit bias stands in the way of far too many women, especially women of color, not receiving the proper treatment, and then that leading to some sort of poor maternal health outcome or even birth outcome,” Stewart shares.
RELATED: 7 Things Pregnant Black Women Can Do to Be Heard by Doctors
Preventing pregnancy complications
In addition to advocating for yourself at the doctor’s office, there are some steps you can take to avoid having a problematic pregnancy:
- Attend Appointments Regularly. Going to all of the routine OB-GYN visits throughout the entirety of your pregnancy will allow your physician to monitor and keep track of your baby’s heartbeat, growth and overall health – as well as your overall health. Whatsmore, regularly seeing a high-risk pregnancy specialist will increase the likelihood that a medical condition or issue is detected sooner rather than later.
- Make Your Health a Priority. Despite being pregnant, you should still make yourself a priority – primarily, your health. Extreme fatigue, high levels of stress and a poor diet are all contributing factors of serious pregnancy complications. Make sure you are getting the recommended amount of sleep (usually 7 to 8 hours a night), sticking to a healthy diet and exercise regimen and taking the time out of your day to reduce stress levels. Here’s a tip: a brief meditation practice or a brisk walk in the fresh air can help.
- Quit Smoking and Drinking. Remember, whatever you consume, the baby does also. Preterm birth is a serious complication and direct side effect of smoking and drinking while pregnant, and it is strongly recommended that a woman quits as soon as she is trying to conceive and/or when she finds out that she is pregnant.
- Avoid Harmful Foods. Did you know that not consuming harmful food that could hurt your baby is actually one of the most preventable measures a pregnant woman can take? Foods that contain certain bacteria, like listeria, salmonella and toxoplasmosis should be avoided. You should also avoid unpasteurized milk and cheese, cook meat thoroughly before you consume it (no rare or medium rare steak or burgers), skip out on soft-boiled or raw eggs and avoid any undercooked poultry. In addition, be sure to wash and cook vegetables thoroughly as well.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight. Your weight could make-or-break factor when it comes to pregnancy complication prevention. Over eating, eating too many sugary foods, acquiring diabetes and being overweight in general are all possible triggers of preeclampsia, a condition marked by high blood pressure that can directly affect a baby’s ability to receive blood and oxygen while in the womb. This also puts you at risk for gestational diabetes. On the flip side, being too thin and not eating enough can also be damaging. You can avoid preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and other complications by maintaining a healthy weight throughout your pregnancy. Remember to exercise regularly at your doctor’s discretion, and consume a healthy diet.