Voices, Voices for Birth Justice, VBJ, Birthing Rights, Birth Justice, preterm birth, preemie, premature birth, Doula, breastfeeding, PTBi, Preterm Birth Initiative, Oakland, Bay Area, San Francisco, Fresno, Birthworkers, birth worker, advocate, parents, mothers, Fresno

In partnership with Fresno County’s Perinatal Equity Initiative, Voices for Birth Justice: Fresno will raise awareness of the racial inequities in infant mortality in Fresno County. Led by Community Champions, this campaign will truthfully represent what’s happening in our communities and provide a platform for people to share their stories.

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YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS ON YOUR OWN. YOU HAVE A VILLAGE, AND WE’RE STRONGER TOGETHER.

– Brittany Chambers, mom and birth justice researcher

WHAT WE’RE DOING TO IMPROVE BIRTH OUTCOMES

TELLING STORIES OF POSITIVE ACTION. CONNECTING PREGNANT PEOPLE TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

Every day, Black and Brown women and people experience stress from walking in a world that disrespects them through racist systems and interactions. The lifelong exposure to this stress builds in the body over time and is driving an epidemic of poor birth outcomes in our communities, like babies being born too early

Black and Brown families have a right to a healthy prenatal, labor and postnatal experience. The health of their communities depends on it.

We are advocates from all different backgrounds and communities who believe passionately that all families deserve healthy starts to life.We are sharing our stories to help raise awareness of the link between racism and premature birth as well as other poor birth outcomes while connecting pregnant people to the advocates, organizations and resources who are helping counteract the risks.

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LEARN HOW VOICES FOR BIRTH JUSTICE WAS CREATED

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WHAT IS PRETERM BIRTH?

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WHAT DOES RACISM HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

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WHY IS PRETERM BIRTH A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE?

While a full-term birth is considered 40 weeks, a preterm birth is when a baby is born at less than 37 weeks. This is also more commonly referred to as a “premature birth” or “having a preemie.”
 
Around 1 in every 11 babies in California are born too early (prematurely). Many babies born prematurely will have healthy outcomes, but some face months in intensive care; some will face a lifetime of health challenges and some won’t survive.
 
Black and Brown people are the most impacted by premature birth; these families are the ones most at risk. Because being born early can run in families, it can have rippling effects – causing significant physical, emotional and financial burdens – from one generation to the next.
 

But birth justice advocates are creating positive change.

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Voices, Voices for Birth Justice, VBJ, Birthing Rights, Birth Justice, preterm birth, preemie, premature birth, Doula, breastfeeding, PTBi, Preterm Birth Initiative, Oakland, Bay Area, San Francisco, Fresno, Birthworkers, birth worker, advocate, parents, mothers,

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