Childbirth, one of the most raw and beautiful experiences a person can have, is an unequal and discriminatory experience for women of color, especially black women. This discrimination is not a new thing, but is now being brought to light in a big way. The start of this discrimination and misinformation came from Dr. James Marion Sims, often referred to as the founder of modern gynecology. Dr. Sims would test new procedures on Black women without pain medication because he thought that Black women had a higher pain tolerance than White women. This is in no way true. However, this idea is still prevalent in the medical field. This bias was proven almost 200 years after Dr. Sims started practicing gynecology. A study published in 2016 showed that white medical trainees still hold biases against Black patients, which “results in 1) lower rates of pain medication for acute and chronic pain for Black patients, 2) lower rates of local anesthesia for joint replacement for Black and underinsured patients, and 3) fewer treatment and intervention options offered to Black patients.” according to the article “The Pervasive Legacy of Medical Racism and Its Role in the Black Maternal Health Crisis” by Emma Rogers.
While I will never face this discrimination because I am a White woman, I still feel strongly about this topic. Women in general face discrimination and misogyny in almost every setting, so to be treated with less respect during a time when you are preparing or bringing another life into this world is incredibly disrespectful.
One solution to this problem is legal action. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act is a “bill directs multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19,” (Congress.gov), and was introduced into the House in 2021. This bill is a big step towards equality when it comes to healthcare, something we shouldn’t have to fight for.
Overall, the world of gynecology is changing for the better. With the increase in media coverage, we can tackle this issue.
