The Truth Staff
The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc, Maumee Bay Club, hosted a workshop on women’s maternal health on Saturday, September 26, at the Wayman Palmer YMCA.
Guests were able to hear from a variety of health care experts on issues affecting the state of maternal health in forum titled “What Women Need to Know.” Medical doctors such as Dr. Rochelle W. Hall-Rollins, MD, and Dr. Tanya Baldwin, MD, shared their wisdom. Representatives from local care groups such as Avis Files of the Lucas County Fatherhood Network, Kristy Roby of March of Dimes, several doulas such as Sommer Clayborne, among others.
The discussion was focused on learning about maternal health disparities in order to empower women and prevent crises.
“Every single speaker came with blunt truth and wisdom,” said one attendee.
Some of the facts that were addressed are that 43 percent of Ohio counties don’t have a hospital with labor and delivery services or a birth center, meaning that nearly 395,000 women and 22,000 babies are living in places where giving birth safely means driving hours away. For many Black women, the nearest Black OB/GYN can be at least an hour away.
Other panelists were Kristy Roby of the March of Dimes, Jewel Rollins, Danielle Nicole Reddick, Mahogoney Womack, Kattie Braylock and Tierra Parker.
