via AirForceMedicine
Black women are almost twice as likely to experience premature births compared to white women. And Black women (and men) have higher rates of racism-related PTSD, according to a report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science:
“The daily experiences of discrimination, as well as the legacy of racism - neighborhoods with higher crime and fewer resources, generational poverty and limited access to health care - can lead to stress, and engagement in unhealthy behaviors.”
This has led Professor Amelia Gavin to use past research to propose that racism is behind the higher rates of PTSD among Black people, resulting in higher rates of preterm birth:
"I'm trying to unpack, from a life course perspective, how risk factors in Black women's lives can have an impact on the next generation," she said.
Most people think of war veterans or survivors of disasters when they think of PTSD, but the Black lived experience should be included:
“PTSD isn't always related to one physically or emotionally devastating event… There has been little research into how racial discrimination could manifest as PTSD and influence an early childbirth,” says Dr. Gavin.
The research is not new, but linking racism to PTSD highlights the truly devastating effect racism has on our bodies - and the more we know, the better we can fight for the health of our babies.