Providing women with education, support and encouragement while they're pregnant, during labor and after child birth, the Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative hopes to improve reproductive health equity and maternal mortality statistics for black women.

Black women in Oklahoma are three times more likely to die during or after childbirth than white women, underscoring the need for improving reproductive health equity. The Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative is working to change that by providing free community doulas.

First-time mom Phajja Nwadiei planned to deliver her first baby at home with her husband. While she had never been through labor before, she said she wasn't afraid of the pain, because that's one of the things her doula prepared her for, showing an example of improving reproductive health equity.

"I know that's just a part of the process and I've been working on comfort measures with the doula as well and just trusting my intuition," Phajja said.

LaChelle Wells-Dixon is Phajja's doula through Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative, which is focused on improving reproductive health equity.

"Allowing them to know that your birthing experience is yours and yours alone and the joy that comes after that is the baby and watching the baby grow," Wells-Dixon said. "All of them allowing me into their space to guide them with the emotional and physical supports as doulas are non-medical professionals, and helping them with comfort measures."

How the Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative Is Improving Reproductive Health Equity

Omare Jimmerson is the executive director of Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative. She said doulas see clients 20 to 30 times on average. When it's time for delivery, they assist mom alongside midwives in birthing centers or physicians in hospitals.

"The birthing space is a beautiful space, because we are allowed to be in a sacred moment with our clients and participate in a life entering into this world," LaChelle said.

Phajja was planning on a home birth, but she and her husband wound up welcoming their baby girl in a hospital. It was a natural birth, with LaChelle at their side supporting and advocating. Mom and baby were perfectly healthy, showing the positive outcomes that arise from improving reproductive health equity.

Read the full article about improving Black maternal mortality statistics by Michelle Linn at Fox 23 News.