Black Maternal Health Awareness Roundtable

Hosted by the Nevada Office of Minority Health & Equity
Co-hosted by Tiara Flynn, Founder – Phenomenal Mama/Full Spectrum Doula

In honor of Black History Month (2022), Tiara Flynn partnered with a fellow birth worker (Rikki Jenkins) and the Nevada Office of Minority Health & Equity to host a special roundtable focused on national health crisis impacting black women in the United States and Nevada.

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of countries with technologically advanced healthcare systems. To put it into perspective, according to AJMC.com –

“Among 11 developed countries, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate, a relative undersupply of maternity care providers, and no guaranteed access to provider home visits or paid parental leave in the postpartum period, a recent report from The Commonwealth Fund concluded.”

During the roundtable, discussion birth workers and public health professionals came together to discuss the importance of culturally responsive care and solutions to close the gaps in healthcare and black maternal health.

We know that most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. We also know that racial disparities exist, and many factors contribute to such disparities, like, quality of healthcare, structural racism, and implicit bias. We want to work together as birth workers, advocates, and maternal/public health professionals. We should be working together to reduce Black Maternal Mortality and reduce factors that contribute to pregnancy-related complications and death.”
– Tiara Flynn.

Birth workers want to provide quality and affordable care for their clients to overcome these challenges. To accomplish this, as a community, we offer a variety of services and resources

• Prenatal Care
• Postpartum Care
• Advocacy
• Collaborative Efforts