Thank You for Being a Member of Our Facebook Family

August 13, 2012 Jennifer James Leave a comment

If you haven’t joined us yet, please do so at www.facebook.com/mombloggersforsocialgood.

Thank you for sharing.

Previous PostAn Evening Celebrating the World’s Humanitarians Next PostWhy One Woman Traveled from Algeria to Niger for Fistula Surgery

Get Notifications Via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

ABOUT US

Social Good Moms is a blog dedicated to maternal health and women's and girls' causes and issues. We write about the issues and highlight the organizations, leaders, and non-profits that working towards change. Read more about us, how we work, and how to work with us.

Contact us: socialgoodmoms@gmail.com

AS SEEN IN

We've been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, Scientific American, Nonprofit Quarterly, and more...

CAUSEBOX: A Membership That Matters.

Ongoing Series

Maternal Health in the United States

Black Maternal Health

Black Maternal Health Organizations

Connect With Us On Facebook

Connect With Us On Facebook

Our Global Health Reporting

Our members travel the world and report on global health and development. Read the latest stories.

Featured Illustrations by Uzuri Art

FEATURED VIDEOS

A few years ago I was honored to speak at Blogher with Merck for Mothers. The panel was about maternal health outcomes globally as well as in the United States. As I have mentioned so many times on this blog, the United States leads the developing world with maternal health deaths. This number is exaccerbated by the sheer number of black women who die from pregnancy and delivery complications.

One of the key points we honed in on during the panel was the importance of women being advocates for themselves with their healthcare providers when they feel something is wrong. But, that is not always easy. Take Serena Williams for example. She basically had to beg doctors and nurses to get a CT scan to see if her lung had blood clots which she routinely got as an athlete. They finally relented and what did they find? Blood clots in her lungs. Serena saved her own life.

Many women, especially black women, are not afforded the opportunity to simply get a doctor or nurse to believe that they do not feel well and oftentimes their lives are hanging in the balance. In fact, NPR and ProPublica gathered over 200 stories from black women who felt that they had been “devalued and disrespected by medical providers” during their pregnancies.

I regularly watch a Youtube channel called R&L Life, a cute family channel out of Florida. The mother, Rachael, recently delivered her son and a few days later she had preeclampsia symptoms with massive swelling and high blood pressure. She and her husband went to her doctor only to discover she could have a seizure at any time because of her high blood pressure. She needed to be rushed to the hospital for oral medication and a magnesium drip.
Continue reading →

Related

[VIDEO] Mother Advocates for Her Own Health After Delivery And Preeclampsia #BlackMaternalHealth
August 9, 2020 Jennifer James Leave a comment
The United Nations has designated Sierra Leone as the most dangerous place to have a baby. In fact, it has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world at 1,360 deaths per 100,000 live births. On average, most women have at least six babies in Sierra Leone.

In a previous post I mentioned the Aminata Maternal Foundation that helps pregnant women in Sierra Leone. An Australian organization, it was started by a woman, Aminata Conteh-Biger, who became a sex slave during the Liberian Civil War. Now, she is giving back to expectant mothers after so many years away from her home country.

This video shows the work of the Aminata Maternal Foundation and how it oftentimes becomes difficult for young pregnant girls to receive permission from family and elders to deliver in a hospital or health center. It also shows the frustration of healthcare workers who try to teach entire villages about the importance of proper maternal healthcare.

To help more mothers deliver safely in Sierra Leone you can donate monthly or one time at aminatamaternalfoundation.org/donate.

Related

[WATCH] Video Shows Horrors of Childbirth in Sierra Leone #MaternalHealth
September 1, 2019 Jennifer James Leave a comment

Photo Galleries

This gallery contains 0 photos.

Photo Essay: Standing in Line for Voluntary Male Circumcision
January 29, 2016 Jennifer James Leave a comment
This gallery contains 3 photos.

The Priceless Reaction of a Baby Being Vaccinated #Haiti
April 30, 2015 Jennifer James 1 Comment

More galleries →

Nepal Reporting Trip

Nepal Reporting Trip With Coca-Cola In September 2016 we traveled with Coca-Cola to Nepal to see their earthquake relief efforts as well as their work with local NGOs in and around Kathmandu.

Our Book Reviews

Social Good Moms is a blog dedicated to maternal health and women's and girls' issues and causes.

HOME
Join us! Your Voice Matters
Our News
- Global Reporting
Sections
Products With a Purpose
Book Reviews
Work With Us
Contact Us

Social

View mombloggersforsocialgood’s profile on Facebook
View socialgoodmoms’s profile on Twitter
View socialgoodmoms’s profile on Instagram
View socialgoodmoms’s profile on Pinterest

LATEST POSTS

CDC Launches Campaign To Raise Awareness About Pregnancy and Postpartum Warning Signs August 15, 2020
Vice Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris on Successful Black Maternal Health Outcomes August 13, 2020
[VIDEO] Mother Advocates for Her Own Health After Delivery And Preeclampsia #BlackMaternalHealth August 9, 2020
The CDC Releases Newly Updated Maternal Death Statistics in Over a Decade February 3, 2020
[Review] Be More Green With Sustainable, Reusable Water Bottles and Coffee Cups January 24, 2020
Woman Dies From Pregnancy-Related Complications After Waiting Hours in Emergency Room January 21, 2020
Remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today By Donating to His Historic Sites In Atlanta and Montgomery January 20, 2020
Jewelry That Gives Back to Oceans January 19, 2020

TWITTER

RT @RogerThurow: Students, this is for you. Please join us, ask questions, seek study/career advice, get inspired! @ufwhdotorg @thenextnorm… 2 weeks ago
Excellent webinar! Great seeing new data, new targets, and renewed commitments by partners to achieve the SDGs by 2… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 3 weeks ago
RT @maryvkinney: 16 partners commit support to #EveryNewborn “The skies the limit." @PMNCH @IPAWorldorg @Refugees @world_midwives @IAWG_RH… 3 weeks ago

Follow @socialgoodmoms

41 Maternal Health Organizations to Follow and Support #IntlMHDay
Netflix Movie Reveals Grim Reality of Nigeria to Europe Sex Trafficking
10 Organizations and Birth Centers That Save Black Mothers’ Lives #MaternalHealth (Updated)
5 Maternal Health Organizations to Support Now
New Solutions to Global Problems: Watch TEDxChange Live - April 5
Finnish Fashion Designer Creates Maternity Wear for 12-Year-Olds to Highlight Worldwide Child Pregnancy
Infographic: 2015 Mothers' Index Rankings
New Report on Child Mortality Trends Released
Chad Comes in Last in New Global Food Index
5 Maternal Health Mobile Apps That Are Saving African Mothers' Lives