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Chyna Harrison was terrified to give birth.

“Don’t leave me in this hospital. Wait until somebody comes back,” Harrison said to her doula as she was in labor, dilated at 9 centimeters.

Doulas are trained labor professionals who provide guidance and support to pregnant women during labor.

Before giving birth, Harrison had heard stories about many Black women who died in labor. Her distrust of hospitals brought her to SeQuoia Kemp, a certified doula and founder of the Syracuse birthing service, Doula 4 A Queen, which provides affordable health care and birthing services for expectant mothers, specifically women of color.

Harrison’s fear intensified as doctors rushed in. The mere thought of a C-section scared her. Kemp called for a heart rate and cervix check. Harrison was 10 centimeters dilated and ready to push.

“She saved me from getting a C-section,” Harrison said.

For many Black women, birthing experiences are a matter of life and death. Between 2007 and 2016, pregnancy-related deaths were highest among Black women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And a study in the Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics showed that Black women are two to three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women.

C-section deliveries are associated with higher rates of maternal mortality and illness, according to the Center for American Progress. Studies show that low-income Black and Latina women found that programs using prenatal, birthing and postpartum support resulted in lower rates of cesarean deliveries, increased breastfeeding and longer breastfeeding. Doula support can lower stress levels and increase self-confidence for expectant mothers.

Kemp said that her rise in clientele could be attributed to that trend.

“I’ve had women say to me, ‘I don’t want to die,’” Kemp said.

Sometimes, the traditional medical industry doesn’t provide Black women the level of sensitivity that is necessary for a positive birthing experience.

Kemp said her mission is to make sure that women of color are given the care they deserve while in labor.

“We are moving away from traumatic experiences to empowered ones for birthing from prenatal to postpartum,” Kemp said.

Historical inequities, socioeconomic status and lack of access to health care are just a few of many causes that can influence maternal health for Black women, studies show. Many of the racial disparities in maternal health can be traced to slavery, when Black women were victims of reproductive acts of violence. Enslaved women were forced to conceive to produce more slave labor and subjected to gynecological experiments without anesthesia.

Mariel Rivera, a certified doula and doctoral candidate at Syracuse University, studies the way race and gender affect maternal health. Through her research, she found that maternal health is impacted by compounding socioeconomic factors such as education and neighborhood transportation issues.

“The statistics show that even if you are a Black woman with a Ph.D., the likelihood is that a white woman with a high school diploma would survive pregnancy and childbirth more than you would,” Rivera said.

Rivera said she has read a number of cases where women of color feel ignored by doctors and feel as though their questions are not being taken as seriously.

“When you pair your experiences with the realistic statistics that are coming out right now about Black birth outcomes, it kind of makes you nervous going into pregnancy and birth and all of that as a Black woman or as a Black-identifying person,” she said.

Rivera has partnered with Kemp and other organizations to understand how doulas reduce pregnancy mortality.

Shakera Kemp, SeQuoia’s sister, was pleased with her birthing experience, thanks to her sister. Like Harrison, she heard about negative experiences that other Black women had during childbirth at local hospitals.

Shakera Kemp said she opted for a doula and midwife and decided to give birth at Upstate Community Hospital. She did her best to stay away from the headlines about Black women and pregnancy mortality.

“I didn’t want it to freak me out,” she said. “I told myself, ‘All right, you need to be vigilant in the hospital. You’re going to have to speak up for yourself.’”

Her sister helped her stick to her birthing plan during labor. Shakera Kemp believes that the emotional support was much needed in her birthing journey.

“It was nice to have someone outside of the circle who was unbiased just to hear you out,” Shakera Kemp said. “I felt more comfortable.”

Doula care helped both Harrison and Kemp avoid potentially fatal outcomes. The two are both grateful for the care they were given during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.

“When I couldn’t do anything for myself, she advocated for me,” Harrison said.

Published on March 1, 2021 at 10:46 pm