Documentary Examines Systemic Racism and Identifies Solutions to Address Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates in the U.S.

Black women in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women and Black infants are two times more likely to die in their first year than White infants.

America’s medical establishment has turned giving birth into a battlefield for Black women and their babies, but activists are changing those negative outcomes.

“Birthing Justice” goes behind the statistics and beyond the grief to amplify how Black women are taking control of their lives and transforming the birth experience to one of resilience and joy. An excerpt from the documentary will be screened as part of Black Maternal Health Week on Thursday, Apr. 14 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT by the National Birth Equity Collaboration, according to a press release. View here.

This documentary is produced by Women in the Room Productions.

Denise Pines, co-founder, Women in the Room Productions, says “Birthing Justice places Black women at the center of the fight to fix a broken system. In this documentary we examine the structures and systems that determine these mortality rates as well as the progress being made by health initiatives, dedicated practitioners and best practices. Our goal is to see the solutions presented in this documentary replicated nationally.”

One major factor now recognized by experts is the impact of systemic racism and stress on Black women, negatively affecting their birth outcomes.

“The key to solving this problem is complex, but a path exists,” says Jacoba Atlas, co-executive producer.

Director Monique N. Matthews says, “Black women need to be heard, respected that they understand their own bodies and believed by medical professionals who serve them.”

Birthing Justice is scheduled to be released in Fall, 2022. For more information on Birthing Justice visit www.birthingjustice.com. The documentary is produced by Women in the Room Productions, a comprehensive media company that drives social impact for women and persons of color through storytelling and community.

Support for the film provided by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Meadow Fund, The California Endowment and others.