This episode is about racial disparities in ob/gyn and its release coincides with Black maternal health week. Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, BMHW is a week of awareness, activism, and community building intended to deepen the national conversation about Black maternal health in the US. To be honest I’m actually a bit tired of talking about disparities. The problems and root causes are well documented yet things are getting worse. People don’t want to talk about racism or are actively trying to suppress efforts to talk about race. But not talking about it doesn’t make the underlying issues go away. Helping address this problem starts with LISTENING. So especially if you are not Black, take a moment and listen (I explain why I say this in the episode). I hope that by the end you have some empathy and the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Also - if you are a Black woman, it’s ok to skip this episode. I understand that it can be traumatizing to repeatedly hear about these disparities. In this Episode, You’ll Learn About: -What does disparity mean -What are the statistics on racial disparities in healthcare -What are the causes of these disparities -How racism affects care and outcomes -What does the term weathering refer to -How I have been personally treated differently on the basis of race -Why it matters if you speak up about race in your own community -How you can help (donate to the groups linked below!) Full website notes: drnicolerankins.com/episode157 Check out The Birth Preparation Course Register for the class How to Create a Birth Plan the Right Way Take a quick, fun labor pain quiz