In this episode we hear from Stasia, a pregnant Black woman who wants to know how to prepare for birth and how to advocate for herself along the way. Zahra chats with Kameelah Phillips, M.D., an ob-gyn and women’s health advocate based in NYC. One of her core interests is health care disparities—and how to help prevent them. Zahra also consults with Latham Thomas, a doula and the founder of Mama Glow who focuses on care along the childbearing continuum. They discuss how to navigate the system as a Black pregnant person and how giving birth looks different during the pandemic.

You can learn more about Dr. Phillips’ work or seek care at www.callawomenshealth.com, and follow her on Instagram @dr.kameelahsays.

You can learn more about Mama Glow and its supportive community at www.mamaglow.com, and follow Latham Thomas on Instagram @glowmaven.

For resources, information, and a variety of articles on Black maternal mortality, visit SELF’s extensive series on the issue. For other related articles, check out:

What It’s Like to Be a Doula Working With Black Pregnant People Right Now

There Are Joyful Black Birth Stories--This New Podcast Is Highlighting Them

I Got the COVID-19 Vaccine While Pregnant—Here's Why

COVID-19 Vaccines Are Safe for Pregnant and Breastfeeding People, According to New Study

Pregnant And Worried About Coronavirus? You’re Not Alone

Some People Are Disclosing Their Pregnancies ‘Early’ Because of the Coronavirus

The Deep Loneliness of Having a Baby in a Pandemic

What It’s Like to Pause Fertility Treatments Because of Coronavirus

How Years of Infertility Prepared Me for Pregnancy During the Coronavirus Crisis

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