Majority black Detroit is a city with swag. It is gritty, well known, and respected for many things.  Sure, we have our fair share of challenges, just like anywhere else. Yet, there is a certain pride associated with being from here and being part of the legacy and legend that goes along with being a legacy Detroiter.

Unfortunately, there are also costs from being from one of the last of the majority-black cities. Systemic medical inequity, also known as ’Medical Apartheid,’[1] creates some of the most dangerous and deadly consequences for expectant mothers and newborn babies in Detroit.

Black babies in Detroit are 2-3 times more likely to die within their first year of life than white babies. Black mothers are 2-3 times more likely to die during childbirth than white mothers.  These staggering statistics place Detroit near the top of cities for having some of the worst outcomes for new mothers and babies. Medical Apartheid refers to attitudes and practices within the medical system that result in more negative outcomes for people of color. Systemic negative outcomes for people of color are generally not the result of one or two individuals doing something wrong. Poor outcomes are more consistent with attitudes, policy and a pattern of behavior driven by embedded racism and classism within the medical system. It is something that we must all be aware of and constantly work on challenging and dismantling.

Community Connections provides resources to groups and community leaders to support them in informing the community of these insidious realities and inviting them to educate the community.  We also offer resources and assistance to support women of color and families as they employ strategies to increase the likelihood of healthy pregnancies, mothers and babies.

Some of the things mothers and families can do to support healthy pregnancies and babies include:

• Connect with a knowledgeable supporter like a doula (Shout out to Birth Detroit, www.birthdetroit.com), women’s health center or doctor early in your pregnancy. They can help navigate the sometimes-confusing healthcare system. They can also help connect mothers with necessary prenatal care early in pregnancy.

• Reduce and control stress. There are stress-reducing techniques to help mothers cope with the demands and feelings that sometimes accompany pregnancies.

• Eat healthy foods to maintain expectant mothers’ and babies’ health.

There are other things expectant mothers and families can do to increase healthy outcomes throughout the birth process and beyond. These are only a few essential first steps for moving in the right direction.

Check out this link for a cute animation to share information that promotes healthy pregnancies, mothers and babies:

[1] Medical Apartheid is a term coined by Harriet A. Washington in her book of the same title.