Article explores traumatic childbirth and racism

Women of color who experienced traumatic birth experiences stemming from obstetric racism said they had postpartum anxiety and depression, increased medical mistrust and decreased desire for future children, a study found. Featured this week in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Journal of Patient Safety Network, the qualitative study consisted of in-depth, semi-structured interviews in 2019-2020 with 30 U.S. mothers who identified as women of color and self-identified as experiencing a traumatic childbirth. A corresponding commentary calls for practitioner awareness training, access to doulas, greater racial and ethnic diversity among maternity care staff. It also calls for improvements in educational curricula to address systemic and interpersonal racism in maternity care. (AHRQ Journal of Patient Safety Network article, 2/7/24)