When No One Listens: The Fight for Black Mothers' Lives

Black birthing people in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts. In New York City, that number is a staggering 9.4 times higher. Why is this happening in modern American medicine, and what can be done to protect Black mothers?

In this powerful and essential episode, Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross is joined by Dr. Ashanda Saint Jean, a board-certified OB/GYN with over 25 years of experience on the frontlines of the Black maternal health crisis. Dr. St. Jean breaks down how medical racism, historical trauma, and systemic blind spots have created a deadly "two-tiered system" of care.

Drawing from her professional expertise, her lived experience as a Black woman in medicine, and the stories of her patients, Dr. St. Jean provides a searing look at the problem and a powerful toolkit for advocacy, empowerment, and reclaiming the joy in motherhood.