FORT SMITH, Ark. — According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), the state leads the country for the highest maternal mortality rate for all women, but Black women are almost twice as likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications.
Leah James is a mother of three. She says all three of her births were no walk in the park from being bedridden for two months during her first pregnancy, to an emergency c-section 11 years ago for the birth of her son.
"I was saying I was in so much pain, you know, my little 5'2" self had a 10-pound kid, you know, and I feel like if they had taken my pain level seriously, it would have never gotten to that place," James said.
"Going into an emergency C section and never have had surgery before. It was very traumatic," James added. "So, I feel like that could have been prevented if they would have listened to me and listened to my voice."
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families partnered with the Fort Smith alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated to host a screening of the 2022 Documentary, "Aftershock".
The film follows two fathers who lost their pregnant Black partners because they were disproportionately failed by the United States maternal health system.
"We want to bring awareness, and at the same time education throughout the state of Arkansas to make sure that everyone is aware of this situation that we're in right now," Social action chair of the chapter Talicia Richardson said.
The local advocates say that conversations foster change in policy.
"We're hoping that we'll have that conversation in the 2025 legislative session," says Kesa Smith with Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.
"So, leading up all this year, we hope to increase the conversation around maternal health, so that we can look forward to passing not just one piece of less legislation, but a series of pieces of legislation so that we can get better outcomes for moms," Smith said.
James says her experience is why she made the decision to begin training to become a doula.
"I can honestly say that I can be in your shoes and feel empathetic. I can understand and meet you where you're at and meet the need where you're needed," James said.
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