LOUISIANA, USA — As a mother and Black woman, Amara Ali knows firsthand the challenges that come with giving birth in Louisiana.
“That is the first time that I thought,” Ali said. “I am going to die tonight because they are going to let me bleed to death in this bed.”
Following her miscarriage, Ali began hemorrhaging and was rushed by ambulance to the hospital.
“They were really dismissive of it, as if I were overreacting or over exaggerating,” Ali said.
When she got there, she says she waited in the emergency room for a long time and felt ignored. Her care took a turn when her OBGYN, also a Black woman, walked into the room.
“It’s something about being able to connect with another Black woman, or even a man, but they understand. It’s the collective experience,” Ali said.
Louisiana ranks as one of the worst states for birth outcomes. New Orleans and Baton Rouge received an 'F' grade for preterm births, based on the March of Dimes annual report card.
It's a problem WWL Louisiana has covered for years, with Black parents more likely to have poor infant and maternal health outcomes.
Wednesday, insurance provider Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana announced they are taking action to improve those risks.
Risks Ali knows all too well. As a doula or birth keeper herself, she has the opportunity to make a difference for Black women during their pregnancy journeys.
“I get to uplift and empower women who look just like me. I get to speak life into women,” Ali said.
To make change, Ali says the medical community needs to address systemic racism, but it also takes women like her, filling in the gap.
“Part of the solution is having women like me,” Ali said.
You can find out more about Ali and her doula services at SistaMidwife.com
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