Vital KC

Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17, is a time to raise awareness about the inequities that Black pregnant women face, and to highlight the resources that make childbirth safer for all.

At University Health, we’re also using the week-long designation as a time to celebrate Black mothers and families. During this time, let us introduce you to a handful of mothers, all with their own unique gifts and challenges, who are raising the bar on motherhood.

Imani’s Story

Give Kansas City mom, Imani Rue a call, and you’ll get a darling earful from her 19-month old daughter DaKota, too. Over the phone, in the kind of squeaky voice that makes you miss when your own children were babies, DaKota leaves no doubt that she’s advanced for her age. But before she arrived, her mother was preparing for a very different situation.

Imani is no stranger to doctors. Before she was old enough for school, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. “I don’t remember a time before diabetes,” she said. Knowledge that the disease could potentially complicate her pregnancy, coupled with the statistic that Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die during, or even up to a year after childbirth, added stress to her pregnancy. “But I knew my team, which included high-risk pregnancy specialists, cared about my health and my baby’s health.”

For nine months, Imani came to University Health several times a week for appointments. At some point, doctors explained that fetal testing had them concerned whether her baby was properly developing. Imani allowed herself to consider what it would be like raising a disabled child.

Baby DaKota arrived early, at 36-weeks. She was one of the first patients in University Health’s new Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Imani says what happened next is one of the most important lessons for other women. “A few days after I was discharged from the hospital, when I was visiting DaKota, I felt different. I know my body, I know how I feel, and something was off,” she explained. “I was exhausted, but it was more than that. I walked over to Labor and Delivery and asked a nurse to take my blood pressure. I don’t know why that’s what I asked her to do, but speaking up likely saved my life,” said Imani.

Imani’s blood pressure was high. Unchecked, it could have led to a condition known as postpartum preeclampsia, which could be fatal. Doctors admitted Imani back to the hospital until she was well.

Fast forward 19-months, and mother and daughter are thriving. “Motherhood is amazing. There are ups and downs, but I love watching her learn and grow,” she said.

Imani said that growing up, she never knew if she’d be able to become a mother. She wants other women with Type 1 Diabetes to know that it is possible to conceive, have a healthy pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby, as long as they find the right care team and never stop advocating for themselves.

Kannie’s Story

Earlier this week, all the talk about the moon passing between the earth and sun made a 6-year-old Kansas Citian feel extra important.

“She said that she was special,” said Kannie Donnell about her daughter, Za’Naya. “She kept telling her teachers about her special birthday.”

Za’Naya arrived into the world on August 21, 2017, which happens to be the last solar eclipse to darken North America. Kannie recalled her daughter’s perfect timing. “I remember to this day how it was with her. As soon as the sky got dark, she was all over my belly,” she said. Za’Naya was born moments later.

These days Za’Naya is a smart, caring first grader. “She doesn’t even have to count on her fingers to add. Even in the thousands, she just blurts it out,” her mom said proudly.

Kannie and Za’Naya were top of mind because of the eclipse, so we asked Kannie to share her story and wisdom in an interview for Black Maternal Health Week. After hearing happy updates on Za’Naya, and her two older children, Kannie brought up another story in the news.

Krystal Anderson was a former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader who died from sepsis on March 20, shortly after giving birth. Krystal was Black, and the news story highlighted the fact that Black women are three to four times more likely to die during or up to a year after giving birth. “It made me think I need to stay on top of my stuff,” said Kannie, referring to her own health.

Kannie knew about the inequities surrounding Black women and childbirth, and was living with diabetes and asthma, when she had children. “I was scared because it was rough. Because pregnancy makes my asthma worse, I was in the hospital a couple of times,” she said. Kannie credits “good doctors” at University Health with getting her safely through pregnancy. She surprised us when she gave top credit to her pulmonologist, since it’s not a specialty that gets mentioned often when talking about childbirth.

Gary Salzman, MD treats Kannie for asthma and saw her through all three pregnancies. “He doesn’t talk to you like a patient, he talks like you’re friends,” said Kannie. She joked that he’s so important she made Dr. Salzman godfather to all three children.

Kannie’s advice to other women who are pregnant or planning to be pregnant is to make medical care a priority. “If you’re pregnant, please go to the doctor.”

Monaco’s Story

As a young woman, Monaco Jones wasn’t sure she’d be able to have a baby. Growing up, she’d been described as a “sickly child,” but it wasn’t until she was in her early teens that doctors diagnosed her with Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder. Like the name implies, it affects the body’s red blood cells, changing them from a smooth, round shape to cells shaped like a sickle - or hook. That shape slows the flow of blood, which can lead to intense pain and organ damage. In order for someone to be born with Sickle Cell Disease, he or she has to have a parent with the disorder, or two parents who have the Sickle Cell trait, which is detectable with a blood test. Many of the people who live with the disease proudly refer to themselves as “Sickle Cell Warriors,” because the management of chronic pain and fatigue takes intense strength. Sickle Cell Disease considered a rare disease in the United States, but is more common in Africa and some Mediterranean countries.

As part of Black Maternal Health Awareness Week, we asked Jones, a patient at University Health’s Sickle Cell Center, to tell us about her journey. “I was nervous, scared, shocked,” said Jones about being pregnant with her now 37-year-old son, Curtis. Jones had suffered three miscarriages before Curtis was born.

During her pregnancy, she prayed her son would not be born with the debilitating disease. Pregnancy wasn’t easy for Jones. She had to have a blood transfusion. Fear stayed with her until her son arrived. She said at the time, there wasn’t much available in terms of specialized care. Jones said doctors told her that Curtis did not have Sickle Cell Disease, but when he was eight-years-old, he was diagnosed with a mild version. Fortunately, she said, he doesn’t experience the intense pain known as a Sickle Cell crisis.

Jones describes her son as smart and incredibly caring. “He’s my all,” she said. Jones said that from an early age, her son went out of his way to keep her going when the pain and fatigue of Sickle Cell Disease made it hard for her to function. “He’s been taking care of me for a long time,” she said lovingly.

In recent years there have been major advancements in the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease, mainly in the form on medications. Unfortunately, Jones’ body doesn’t react well to the new drugs. She relies on self-care: heating pads, warm baths and a project to keep her mind occupied. This method of coping is advice she passes along to younger people living with the disease.

As for anyone considering having a child, she urges them to know if they, and their partner, are carriers of the disease. “Do your research. If we can break the cycle of Sickle Cell Disease, we need to try.” But she also adds that if a woman should have a baby born with the disease, “Be a good mother. Don’t mistreat your child. Be patient and pray, stay with the Lord.”