Black Maternity Deaths in the UK

As I stated in my recent blog post on Stylist’s Black British Women’s Census, Black women are four times more likely to die in childbirth as are white women in the UK. 

I watched the Dispatches report on Black maternity deaths last night.

A report on Black women, Racism and Human Rights produced by the House of Commons and House of Lords Joint Committee last year (2020) showed that Black women were five times more likely to die in childbirth, or within six weeks after childbirth, than were white women. This figure has now dropped to four times, but this drop is not considered to be statistically significant.

The report concluded that Black people’s human rights are not equally protected.

The report found that “over 60% of Black people in the UK do not believe their health is as equally protected by the NHS compared to white people”.

It also found that “85% of black [sic] people are not confident that they would be treated the same as a white person by the police”.

Asian women are twice as likely to die in childbirth as are white women.

You can read the report here or read the summary, conclusions and recommendations here.

According to Dispatches, the system knows there is a problem but has no targets to end this.

Maternal deaths are not the only issue here. A “near miss” is defined as a life-threatening complication or morbidity during or within six weeks after childbirth.

African women (from Africa) are 83% more likely to experience a “near miss” than white women. African Caribbean women are 80% more likely to experience a “near miss” than white women. 

 

Several women described their experiences of maternity care, and mistakes that were made, and there is an ongoing issue about Black patients not being given sufficient pain relief.  This happens on both sides of the Atlantic.  One of the women interviewed was an NHS Consultant who had experienced poor quality treatment as a patient.  

 

I have personally had my own experience of having two different NHS doctors at two different London hospitals try to pressure me into having a hysterectomy I neither needed nor wanted. This was NOT maternity related. It has echoes of what Fanny Lou Hamer called the “Mississippi appendectomy”. 

 

Five X More is an organisation of Black women challenging the statistics and offering mutual support to mothers.

Their petition on addressing disparities in maternity care, which they posted in March/April 2020, has obtained 183,000 signatures, which means it will have to be discussed in Parliament. Five X More found that many mothers were not aware of the statistics.

This reminds me of the Windrush Scandal, where people who were targeted were unaware that many thousands of people were going through the same ordeal.

Five X More have stated that they want:

1) An explanation as to why there is this disparity of maternity care for Black women and white women; and

2) Action to be taken to address this issue.

Their target is for 85% of women to receive continuity of carers, i.e. the same midwife and team, throughout pregnancy and childbirth.

If we really believe that Black Lives Matter, we MUST address disparities in healthcare for Black men and women.

Covid vaccine: 72% of Black People Unlikely to Have Jab, UK Survey Finds

According to a recent survey in The Guardian, 72% of Black People are Unlikely to Have the Jab in the UK.  

Apparently, we are too distrustful of the National Health Service and/or the health industry.  We don't trust the vaccine.  This despite (or because of?) the fact that we disproportionately tend to be employed within the NHS.  

On a slightly different note, please can we stop with this "BAME" nonsense?  "BAME" is NOT a word and I am NOT a "minority ethnic".  

Want some natural, holistic healing?  Go here for my Violet Flame Healing Meditation.   The Violet Flame Healing Meditation with Zhana is available from Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, Deezer, Google Play, and more. 

For resources to help us get through the covid-19 pandemic, including relaxation, music and more, go here for Coronavirus Resources.  These include information on how to grow and develop your financial wealth, abundance and success. 

Are you going to have the coronavirus vaccine?  Or have you already had it?  Please comment below and please share this with your networks.  Thanks.  

Violet Flame Healing Meditation

Violet Flame Healing Meditation

I am very excited to announce my new Violet Flame Healing Meditation. 

I learned about the Violet Flame when I first became a Reiki and Seichem Master several years ago.

The Violet Flame transmutes negative energy into positive energy.  It is a very ancient healing method which you can apply to any area of  your life.  My new Violet Flame Healing Meditation helps you to connect with the Violet Flame healing energy and can help you to heal your body, mind and emotions.  .

Go here to download your Violet Flame Healing Audio now, or go here for more information.

See also:  Guided Visualization:  Your Key to Power. 

Why Are Black Women Less Likely To Stick With A Breast Cancer Follow-Up Treatment?

Black Women and Breast Cancer

Niasha Fray used to counsel women about sticking with their cancer treatment.  Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer and  started to experience first-hand what her counselling clients went through. 

Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, but are 40% more likely to die from it.  The disparity can be even higher for other cancers.

According to this article, part of the reason for this is that Black women are less likely to stick with follow-up treatment. 

If African American women -  and men - are less likely to attend follow-up appointments or stick with the treatment, there could be many reasons for this.  They could be finding it harder to pay for the treatment.  Finances are often a factor.  They may find it difficult to have to take time off from work; transport may be a problem.

Black patients tend to do better with Black doctors.  There may be other psychological, emotional or social factors involved. Read this article to find out more about this topic. 

To find out about my cancer journey, go here for my Cancer Journals. 

Please share your responses below and please share this with your networks.  Thanks.

How Stress Contributes to Our Health Issues

Relaxation and Stress Release

You are probably aware that people of African heritage are more prone to particular health issues, notably diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, as well as mental health issues.

Did you know that chronic, long-term long-term, stress underlies a lot of health problems?

Living in a racist society obviously contributes to our long-term stress. 

These days, we are all experiencing a lot more stress. It can raise your blood pressure, it can lower your immune system. It can do a lot of damage. Stress causes physical health problems, as well as mental and emotional problems. And it can make existing problems worse.

Click here for a FREE consultation and  for help with relieving your anxiety and stress. I can provide you with an individual, personal journey to help you to relax, and to draw on your powers of physical, mental and emotional healing.

See also:  How to Get the Results You Want.   

Here's to your success!

Did You Know the American Diabetes Association Tried to Shut This Down?

Did you know you can reverse your Type 2 diabetes?  I did it!  Hooray!!   I came off Metformin more than a year ago, and I am still off it. 

DeWayne McCulley, author of Death to Diabetes, was volunteering his services, teaching people how to reverse their diabetes and come off the meds, when someone from the American Diabetes Association came in to tell him his services were no longer required. 

African Americans have some of the highest rates of diabetes in the U.S.  Check out these statistics from the American Diabetes Association. 

Diabetes in the U.S. Breakdown by Race 

Go here for more about Death to Diabetes. 

Go here for more ways to reverse Type 2 Diabetes and many other serious health issues. 

 Please share this with your networks and please leave your comments below.  Thanks. 

Here's to your health!  

Mom at 10 and Married at 11

Sherry Johnson, child bride

I am sharing with you today this post about Sherry Johnson, a young Black girl in Florida who was forced to marry her rapist and bring up her six children from the age of ten onwards.  

That is to say, the mother, Sherry, was ten.  And this happened, not somewhere in Africa or Asia where child marriage is often commonplace, but in Florida.  The authorities did not protect this girl.  The law did not protect her.  Her family did not protect her.  I am sure you are as shocked by this as I am.  And I am sure that, like me, you applaud her courage. 

Sherry is very eloquent on what she had to give up while she was still a child, in order to provide and care for her children.   She is still fighting for the laws to be changed so that underage children cannot be forced into marriage. 

Please share this with your networks, and please leave your comments below.  We MUST stamp out child abuse and expectation.  If you agree, post "Yes".   

See also:  Child Sex Abuse - Protecting Our Children.