By Special Press Release
[ODENTON, Md. – December 29, 2024] – The North Arundel County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is teaming with the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Hospital Center to host “Nurturing Wellness: Supporting Black Maternal Health program,” Saturday, January 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event will be held at 301 Hospital Drive, Glen Burnie, Md 21061.
The two-hour community-wide event is organized to empower women to address chronic health conditions before pregnancy, learn about and manage risks that could affect their health and the health of their unborn children, and to access available resources, including postpartum care.
“Our sorority remains resolute in safeguarding maternal health for women of color as one of our many national priorities concerning health equity,” said Tali Roberts Redd, chapter president. “We believe that women, regardless of race and ethnicity, deserve the opportunity to experience healthy pregnancies and births. By addressing longstanding public health crises that disproportionately affect Black mothers and infants, we hope to inspire others to become allies in the fight for maternal health equity.”
According to a Fall 2024 report from the University of South Carolina, the rate of preterm, or premature birth among Black infants remains disproportionately high, with the disparity between Black and White infant deaths greater today than it was under antebellum slavery.
The March of Dimes reports that one in 10 babies was born preterm in 2023 in Maryland, with rates higher among Maryland’s Black infants (13.3%), followed by Hispanics (9.8%), Asian/Pacific Islanders (9.1%), American Indian/Alaska Natives (8.9%) and Whites (8.9%).
Systemic racism, chronic stress, socioeconomic disparities, biased healthcare practices, and chronic, and often unmanaged medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension have contributed to the significantly higher rates of premature births among Black women compared to other racial groups.
Redd said the confluence of these factors contributes to poorer maternal health outcomes among Black women.
The event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Carmen Farrior, a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist with over 28 years of experience. Farrior received her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and medical training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School in Newark. She returned to Philadelphia in 1996 for her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Albert Einstein Medical Center which she completed in 2000. Following her training, she moved to Baltimore and has been practicing in the area for over 24 years. While practicing, she continued her education at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and received an M.B A. with a focus on medical business management.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged at https://bit.ly/NACAC-BlackMaternalHealth2025.
