LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More mothers are dying by childbirth-related causes across the country. There's an even greater rate of Black women dying this way, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because of this, legislation filed in Kentucky aims to address implicit bias in healthcare, which one doula believes is a root cause of the disproportionate rate of maternal mortality for women of color.


What You Need To Know

  • Legislation filed in Kentucky aims to address implicit bias in healthcare

  • One doula believes implicit bias is a root cause of the disproportionate rate of maternal mortality for women of color

  • Norton Women's and Children's Hospital does its own implicit bias training, as well as a new "Stop Look Listen" campaign

  • House Bill Request 27, filed by State Rep. Attica Scott would create an implicit bias program, among other things, at licensed healthcare centers statewide

Alexa Hughes founded a nonprofit she's working towards getting certified, called Granny's Girls Birth Initiative. She's a doula, which means offering supports to expectant mothers either at-home or in-hospital, before, during, and after birth. Based on her experience, Hughes says there is racial bias — intentional and unintentional — in women's healthcare. 

"I always do my best to make sure like, 'do you feel comfortable even like talking to your doctor?'" she explained her counseling to clients. 

"We have the stereotypes as...Black women to be dramatic about pain, things like that," Hughes explained some experiences at various doctor's offices in the Louisville area. "I do feel like they don't expect women of color to come in and ask questions. They don't take their questions seriously."

Norton Healthcare tells Spectrum News 1 the countrywide statistics reflecting such a growing rate of maternal death ring true across Kentucky as well. The Kentucky Department for Public Health released a report in 2019, showing a greater number of deaths the year before, than counts from any of the previous five years. So Norton Women's and Children's Hospital does its own implicit bias training, as well as a new "Stop Look Listen" campaign to listen and understand all patients.

"I think that what it’s really boiled down to is the implicit bias in the system where many women of color don’t feel safe to have the conversations or they don’t feel heard if they do have the conversations," vice president of women's services, Mary Schubert, said.

Meanwhile House Bill Request 27, filed by State Rep. Attica Scott (D, Louisville) would create an implicit bias program, among other things, at licensed healthcare centers statewide. 

"If we make sure that we are regularly training and preparing our healthcare professionals for racially and ethnically diverse clients, if we make sure that they are well aware and knowledgeable of the history of racism in healthcare and how that impacts us today, then they will be more prepared to provide the kind of care that we need," Scott said. 

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is lobbying for this bill, Strategist Jackie McGranahan saying, “It’s a great, easy first step toward attacking maternal mortality in Kentucky."

"There’s no medical reason that these women should die more often than white women, so with that, then there has to be certain levels of implicit bias," McGranahan added. 

However, the legislation has not even been assigned to a committee, yet. Scott tells Spectrum News 1 she will continue to file it each session as necessary, and Hughes is supportive.