“I Trust My Body”: Giving Birth While Black
When Janina Jeff Ringo learned she was pregnant with her first child, she knew pretty quickly she wanted a home birth. People have been giving birth at home for time immemorial, so it seemed straightforward. What she found was anything but. In this episode, In Those Genes host and your favorite neighborhood Geneti-SIS Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo tells her story of pregnancy, home birth, and postpartum care. She traces how birthing moved from the home to the hospital, what genetics can tell us about the disproportionately poor outcomes Black birthing people experience, and how the professionalization of obstetrics decimated the number of Black midwives. . In Those Genes is an educational podcast that contains explicit language and discussions about pregnancy, abortion, childbirth, maternal mortality, medical racism, postpartum complications, and reproductive healthcare that may be difficult for some listeners. No worries, we got you! You can still get all the facts dropped in our cleaned transcript, affectionately known as The Nucleus, which will be available soon. . Want to learn more about the experts featured in this episode? Check out their work below. Dr. Monica R. McLemore is a nurse scientist, professor, and leading scholar in antiracist birth equity research, reproductive health, rights, and justice. Her work examines how research, healthcare systems, and public policy can better support the dignity, autonomy, and lived experiences of pregnant and birthing people. She is also the Professor in the department of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing and the Interim Director for the Center for Anti-Racism at University of Washington. University of Washington profile: https://nursing.uw.edu/person/6239345-monica-rose-mclemore/ Instagram: @mclemoremr Nicole Deggins, CNM, MSN, MPH, is a certified nurse midwife, birth advocate, Black doula trainer, community educator, and the founder of Sista Midwife Productions. Her work supports Black midwives, doulas, birth workers, and families while challenging the historical and present-day systems that shape birth in the United States. Learn more about Nicole and Sista Midwife Productions: https://www.sistamidwife.com/ https://www.sistamidwife.com/our-founder Instagram: @sistamidwife . This episode is part of our 3-part mini-series on reproduction. It’s funded in part by the Greater Good Science Grant on Intellectual Humility, the National Academies' Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, and listeners like you who donate to the show. In Those Genes is a Black woman-led, independently produced podcast funded by listeners like you. Every episode takes weeks of research, reporting, and production and we’re in the final stretch of producing Season 3. Help us finish the season strong by donating $5, $10, or $20 today! Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/inthosegenes PayPal:https://paypal.me/inthosegenes Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/inthosegenes If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend! Follow the show so you don’t miss new episodes, leave us a rating or review to help others find us, and connect with us on socials. However you choose to show your support, thank you fam. We appreciate you! . Additional Resources: Sista Midwife Productions Birth education, advocacy, training, and support centered on Black families and birth workers. https://www.sistamidwife.com/ Black Doula Directory Find Black doulas providing support in communities across the country. https://www.blackdouladirectory.com/ Black Midwife Directory Find Black midwives and learn more about the different pathways and models of midwifery care. https://www.sistamidwifedirectory.com/ National Black Midwives Alliance A Black midwife-led organization working to honor the legacy, build the power, and amplify the voices of Black midwives. https://blackmidwivesalliance.org/ Black Mamas Matter Alliance Resources, advocacy, research, and community initiatives advancing Black maternal health, rights, and justice. https://blackmamasmatter.org/ https://blackmamasmatter.org/resources/ CDC Hear Her Campaign Information for pregnant and postpartum people, their loved ones, and healthcare professionals about recognizing concerns and listening to patients. https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/ Urgent Maternal Warning Signs Some pregnancy-related health concerns can occur during pregnancy or up to one year after delivery. Learn which symptoms require immediate medical attention. https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html Birth — Birth Without Bias A community-centered platform where Black and brown parents can find and share prenatal, birthing, postpartum, and pediatric healthcare experiences. https://irthapp.com/ To learn more about doulas and continuous labor support: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/02/approaches-to-limit-intervention-during-labor-and-birth . Credits: Featured Story: Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo Experts: Dr. Monica R. McLemore Nicole Deggins, CNM, MSN, MPH Lead Producer: Sam Riddell Producers: Janicia Francis, Cinthia Pimentel Music Composition: Warner Meadows Theme Song: DJ Chopp A Lott Additional Music: Chad Mil-Ner Mixing Engineer: Kayden Wong Sound Design: Sam Riddell Booking Producer: Angela Sabblah Marketing Support: Danya AbdelHameid Cover Art by David Perrin Host & Executive Producer: Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo . 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