Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy, and Childbirth

by Julia Chinyere Oparah (Editor), Alicia D. Bonaparte (Editor)

There is a global crisis in maternal health care for black women. In the United States, black women are over three times more likely to perish from pregnancy-related complications than white women; their babies are half as likely to survive the first year. Many black women experience policing, coercion, and disempowerment during pregnancy and childbirth and are disconnected from alternative birthing traditions. This book places black women's voices at the center of the debate on what should be done to fix the broken maternity system and foregrounds black women's agency in the emerging birth justice movement. Mixing scholarly, activist, and personal perspectives, the book shows readers how they too can change lives, one birth at a time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Race, Social Justice, Feminism, Health

244 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2015

About the author

Julia Chinyere Oparah is Provost and Dean of the Faculty at Mills College and author or editor of several books, including Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy, and Childbirth and Battling Over Birth.

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible work of essays I read for grad school. Imperative for all those immersed in birth work.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important Information for Healthcare Providers

This was a well put-together work shedding light on the importance of equity and justice for black, indigenous, people of color, and trans-gender birthers. It covered many facets of continuing disparities in the medical institution, prison institution, and even in the alternative birthing institution. I wasn't aware of the history/foundation of modern/medical childbirth and the horrors that black women have endured in order for the advancements that we have today. There is much work to be done for birthing rights and Birthing Justice explains the issues in depth while sharing stories of the Black women who are paving the way with grassroots efforts.

Not an easy read, and no easy answers. There was another review that stated there weren't many "solutions" offered, but I feel that this type of work is calling for us to bring the solutions.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection of essays by Black birthing advocates and any of us working in the birth world should read it. It was assigned for my Birthing From Within class and I highly recommend it. Two of my favorite essays were "Confessions of a Black Pregnant Dad" by Syrus Marcus Ware and "I Am My Hermana’s Keeper: Reclaiming Afro-indigenous Ancestral Wisdom as a Doula" by Griselda Rodriguez.

This is a quote from the latter that I have thought about nearly every day since I read it:

"...a woman in full power, as she prepares to birth her child, is indescribable. It reminds you of the power of women, despite what patriarchy would have us believe. Mothers who eventually deliver via C-section also demonstrate their power. A woman's relinquishing control of her life to a surgeon, as a means to ensure life for her child, is a courageous act. Gracias, Mami!"

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the past few years, I’ve been highly critical of justice work-oriented anthologies being redundant. This was not redundant and in my opinion, an excellently edited anthology. I am a person who works tangentially in and thinks about repro justice daily, and I found myself taking out a pencil to annotate and underline histories of birth work I didn’t know about. This read reinvigorated my vigor for learning and childlike wonder fr

I especially appreciated the “Birthing Histories” section. In this section, the chapter about birthing in post-colonial Zimbabwe was fascinating. I also appreciated the accounts of actual birth stories and how much this anthology taught me about the politics of cesarean sections.

[Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely recommend this book to anyone considering birth work or currently working in the birth working space. I really valued to personal insights and narratives from different birth workers in this book. I also appreciated the in depth analysis of how our countries history has impacted and shaped birth work as we know it today. This helped to paint a better picture of how and why the MIC operates the way it does.

[Harrison Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concisely written for scholars and for those who want to learn more about the subject, don’t let the price tag of this book deter you, it is a complete dissertation on the disparities in maternal and infant mortality and the unflinching history that brought us to this point.

[Daniela Estrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

My textbook for a nursing school elective but also an absolutely amazing read. I mean Reproductive Justice is my jam so I’m biased, but it’s a fun educational read (tho def emotionally challenging at times).

[Mills College Library]

362.1982 B6199 2015

[Krystel Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! Definitely a must read for any birth-worker regardless of your race.