Battling Over Birth: Black Women and the Maternal Health Care Crisis

by Julia Chinyere Oparah, Helen Arega, Dantia Hudson

"Battling over Birth is a critical and timely resource for understanding black women’s birthing experiences in the United States, a country where black women’s lives—and the lives they create—are at much greater risk of death and injury than those of non-black women … By distilling the common and diverse threads from over 100 black women, the BWBJ researchers have woven a multi-faceted tapestry that reflects what black women view as important and central to optimal birth experiences. Their recommendations for improving care and outcomes are grounded in black women’s authoritative knowledge. … This wonderful, important, necessary research by and for black women points in the direction that black women think we should go to ensure they have safe, healthy, and satisfying birth experiences and outcomes. We need to listen and act."

—Christine Morton, PhD, author, Birth Ambassadors: Doulas and the Re-Emergence of Woman-Supported Birth in America

Black Women Birthing Justice is a collective of African-American, African, Caribbean and multiracial women who are committed to transforming birthing experiences for black women and transfolks. Our vision is that every pregnant person should have an empowering birthing experience, free of unnecessary medical interventions and forced separation from their child. Our goals are to educate, to document birth stories and to raise awareness about birthing alternatives. We aim to challenge human rights violations, rebuild confidence in our ability to give birth, and decrease disproportionate maternal and infant mortality.

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, Anti Racist

204 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2017

About the author

Julia Chinyere Oparah is Provost and Dean of the Faculty at Mills College and author or editor of several books, including Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy, and Childbirth and Battling Over Birth.

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Data and statistics are extremely important, but there is so much to know from listening to personal stories and desires. I love how probably a full half of the text of this book is simply firsthand stories. It felt like I got to just listen to people, which is such an important way to learn. Statistics can’t tell us everything. What the people around us tell us about their experiences is the way to learn how to help most in our communities.

[Mama's Got a Plan]

The voices of Black women shine in this accessible, yet also scientifically rigorous examination of the state of maternal health among women of color. A must read for families AND policy makers. Congratulations to Black Women Birthing Justice on creating such an important resource.

It would be wonderful if everyone who read this book suggested that their local public and academic libraries buy copies. This would make the book available to so many more readers!

[Mills College Library]

618.24 B3367 2018

[Sara Robbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent study written in a compelling, challenging way. Full of the stories of real women, this book gave great insight into the plight of black women in our country as they journey in pregnancy, birth, and early postpartum. If you’re interested in learning more about the maternal health crisis I highly recommend this book! I finished it feeling empowered to be a part of the change.

[Samantha Quesenberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting - real issues addressed with solids statistics. I have a general world view disagreement with the final conclusion of the book, but CRT is no surprise in today’s culture and the final recommendations at the back of the book are less political and more practical, which is good. Sometimes hard to read, due to dialectical differences in the focus group excerpts.

[Sarah Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

important for any birth worker.