Unless you’re living under a rock you are probable aware that the U.S Maternal Mortality rate has more than doubled over the last few decades and is continuing to rise.

Recent articles, like this one on “Why Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis” from the New York Times has brought this topic into the spotlight. The focus on this very statistic personally speaks to me being a women of color (FYI: WOC are 3-4 times more likely to die in child birth).

Hearing the numbers behind these horrific statistics one might think to themselves. What is wrong with my body that it may fail me when it comes time for me to give birth? What is it about my body that can’t birth and live?

The answer?