How it gets folded and crammed into the cell - well, that part can change. So the DNA itself is what you inherit from your parents. When it comes time to do the building, the whole DNA doesn’t unfold, just the section that needs reading. To pack all that DNA into one teeny, tiny cell, there has to be some creative folding. In fact, if you stretched out the DNA of just one cell, the DNA would be about 6 feet long. It’s more like a really, really long banner. Most folks think of their DNA like a book where you read from front to back and follow the directions. Half of the blueprint comes from the egg (mom) and half from the sperm (dad). Remember learning about genes in high school biology? Think of genes as the blueprint needed to build a human. Hang in there with me because this is some really cool stuff. So if it isn’t diet or exercise or education or money, what is it? To better explain, I’m going to get a little “science-y” on you. When the statisticians look at all these variables and do their math to account for the confounding factors, the outcome differences remain. When I hear these factors being brought into the conversation, I know the focus is all wrong. With race being the only obvious difference, some may look for other factors: diet, exercise, education or socioeconomic status. What’s more alarming, Black women are about four times more likely than white women to die in pregnancy, and their babies are two to three times more likely than white babies to die within the first year. Black women are more likely to have small babies, early babies, pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure. In the United States, if a Black woman and a white woman with the same exact physical characteristics (weight, height, blood pressure, etc.) receive the same prenatal care, the Black woman is likely to have a worse outcome than the white woman. How does race impact risk? Same Playing Field, Different Outcomes One of the variables that has an impact on pregnancy outcomes is race. My job is to look at all these variables and calculate the risk of pregnancy for both mom and baby. It is empowering women toward body autonomy and shared decision-making.Įach mother carries her own health history, unique beliefs, distinct values and her own support system. It is showing them the strength and power that motherhood grants. It is encouraging mothers to trust themselves. Supporting a family as it works toward a healthy pregnancy, birth and recovery encompasses so much more than just checking the fetal heartbeat, translating ultrasound reports and doing prenatal labs. With each passing year, I become a better listener. Like most, I am not the same doctor today as I was when I started this journey. This part of birth always reminds me that the decision to go into obstetrics wasn’t a difficult one - it was the only one. Even after all these years of practice, this moment can still bring tears to my eyes. One part of this job, however, has stayed the same - the emotion felt when a newborn infant is placed into the arms of her mother for the very first time. Each week brings new research, updated protocols and refined treatment guidelines. The medical side of how I treat patients is ever changing. Let me start by saying I’ve been an obstetrician for 15 years, which translates into having cared for thousands of pregnant women and their babies.
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