Institutional and systemic racism means that Black women are more likely to live in neighborhoods that are impacted by poverty, substandard housing, and violence. Research has found that stress and traumatic life events during pregnancy contribute to preterm birth (less than 37 weeks), and low birth weight. Several studies also suggest that a complex relationship between lifetime exposure to racism, stress, trauma and prenatal depression may trigger pregnancy complications.
Continue reading “#BirthingWhileBlack: The Traumatic Impact of Stress and Systemic Racism on Pregnancy”