“Having babies in America was a wake-up call,” Serena Williams pens down a deeply intimate note with Elaine Welteroth to discuss the horrifying healthcare challenges of Black mothers in the US
Serena Williams and Elaine Welteroth discuss the problems with childbirth in US.
Serena Williams and Elaine Welteroth (Via Open Source)
Childbirth in America has become a significant concern in the modern world, recently highlighted by tennis legend Serena Williams and renowned journalist Elaine Welteroth co-authoring an article in TIME. They emphasized the challenges women, particularly Black women, face during childbirth and advocated for the importance of midwife care based on their experiences.
Throughout the article, Williams and Welteroth argue that the current US maternal health concerns are rising, and the system to treat them is failing. The 23-time singles Grand Slam champion has already shared her near-death experience while giving birth.
In the article, Williams wrote about the struggles of having babies, that it is a wake-up call, and how she had never felt as disempowered as she felt being pregnant and Black in America.
Having babies in America was a wake-up call for both of us. Like many parents, and first-time parents at that, we never anticipated the harrowing experiences we’d have on the road to becoming mothers. We have both accomplished a lot in our lives and careers—from Grand Slams to history-making career appointments—needless to say, we can do hard things. But nothing made us feel as disempowered as being pregnant and Black in America, left to rely upon a medical system that is statistically failing people who look like us.Serena Williams wrote for TIME.
The statistics present a dire situation for Williams, given that pregnant Black women are three times more likely to die during and after childbirth compared to White women in the US, as reported by the CDC. Williams and Welteroth propose a solution by emphasizing the importance of midwives, who are trained to facilitate safe and healthy childbirth, particularly for Black women facing these disparities.
Midwifery, a method of childbirth practiced within or outside hospitals, offers a higher chance of safer childbirth and is commonly used in wealthier countries. Welteroth opted for this approach after learning about the challenges of childbirth in the US.
Serena Williams and Elaine Welteroth organize fundraisers for the women struggling with childbirth in the US
While Williams’ experience in the hospital has been well-documented, Welteroth has had a different experience. Not a near-death experience like her co-author of the recent article, but she shared her demoralizing experiences with the doctor that made her shift to home birth.
Nonetheless, both women are safe with their children, as they try to figure out a solution to this. While both these strong-willed leaders share their experiences to raise awareness, they also have started fundraisers, to help the women in need. Currently, Welteroth’s fundraisers have gathered around 16,000 dollars, which can cover childbirth for two families.
Thanks to Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian, they have raised substantial funds and expanded access to midwifery care. Their efforts, alongside those of other women supporting this cause, should lead to a decr
