AND WELCOME TO WTA LESSONS. I’M MICHELLE WRIGHT. TODAY, IN HONOR OF MOTHER’S DAY, OUR FOCUS IS WOMEN’S HEALTH MOMS OFTEN HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE AND THEIR OWN HEALTH IS. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO WTA LESSONS. I’M MICHELLE, RIGHT? TODAY IN HONOR OF MOTHER’S DAY, OUR FOCUS IS WOMEN’S HEALTH MOMS. OFTEN HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE AND THEIR OWN HEALTH ISN’T ALWAYS THEIR PRIORITY. SO THIS MORNING, WE ARE HEARING FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES AND EXPERT ADVICE THAT CAN SERVE AS LIFE SAVING REMINDERS. HERE’S TO STRONG WOMEN. MAY WE KNOW THEM, MAY WE BE THEM, MAY WE RAISE THEM. BUT TO BE STRONG WOMEN, WE MUST TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. MAMMOGRAMS ARE THE FRONT LINE FOR SCREENING FOR BREAST CANCER, A CRUCIAL PLACE TO START MAMMOGRAMS EXPERTS SAY 1 IN 8 WOMEN WILL DEVELOP BREAST CANCER AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE. EARLIER THIS MONTH, GOVERNOR JOSH SPIRO SIGNED A BILL REQUIRING INSURERS TO COVER PREVENTATIVE BREAST CANCER SCREENINGS. IT’S A LAW THAT COULD CHANGE LIVES FOR THE BETTER. DO IT. DON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. I MEAN, MY LIFE COULD HAVE LOOKED TOTALLY DIFFERENT IF I HAD A MAMMOGRAM IN 2021. THIS MORNING, MEET A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WHO HAVE BOTH BATTLED BREAST CANCER. PLUS, THERE’S A LOT THAT WOMEN CAN DO ON THEIR OWN TO DECREASE HEART RISK AND TO ALSO IMPROVE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE, RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT HYPERTENSION, A DOCTOR EXPLAINS THE SILENT KILLER AND THE IMPACT OF EARLY DETECTION AND DECREASING THE DEATH OF BLACK WOMEN AND CHILDREN MEANS DECREASING THE DEATH OF ALL WOMEN IN CHILDREN. A DANGEROUS DISPARITY. AN EXPERT BREAKS DOWN MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES AMONG BLACK WOMEN. BREAST CANCER IS SO COMMON THAT IT HAS EITHER TOUCHED YOUR LIFE OR LIKELY WILL. ONE LOCAL MOTHER AND DAUGHTER KNOW THIS ALL TOO WELL. AFTER BATTLING BREAST CANCER JUST ONE YEAR APART. RIGHT NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME KATHY AND MARIA COSTA. THEY’RE HERE TO SHARE THEIR STORIES WITH US IN HOPES THAT IT WILL HELP PEOPLE AT HOME. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. YOU’RE WELCOME. ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS SUCH A PERSONAL STORY, SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL IT. KATHY, LET’S START WITH YOU. YOU WERE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER FIRST. TALK ABOUT THAT, CORRECT? I WAS DIAGNOSED IN JUNE OF OR MARCH OF 2021. I WENT TO MY GYNECOLOGY FIRST. I HAD EXTRA TIME. I HAD MY SCRIPT FOR MY MAMMOGRAM. I CALLED THE THE BREAST CENTER. THEY HAD ONE OPENING AND I WENT THAT DAY AND THAT’S WHEN THEY FOUND MY CANCER. SO THEY CAUGHT IT. YES, THEY DID. HOW WAS IT TELLING YOUR FAMILY ABOUT THAT AWFUL. THAT WAS THE WORST PART THAT WAS THE WORST PART. ESPECIALLY MY CHILDREN. SO WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION AS THE DAUGHTER HEARING THAT YOUR MOTHER WAS JUST DIAGNOSED SO SHE CALLED US. SHE WAITED UNTIL AFTER WORK. AND I WAS THANKFUL FOR IT BECAUSE NORMALLY I GET A CALL AT LUNCH. I GET A CALL WHEN SHE’S DONE AT WORK, AND THEN I GET A CALL WHEN I’M DONE AT WORK AND I DIDN’T HEAR FROM HER THAT DAY. SO I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS OFF. SO SHE CALLED AFTER WORK AND SHE WAS VERY CALM AND TOLD ME AND IT JUST COMPLETELY SHATTERED EVERYTHING BECAUSE AT THIS POINT WE DIDN’T HAVE THE STAGING. WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY OTHER DETAILS, OTHER THAN SHE HAD BREAST CANCER AND IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LOSE MY MOM AT 32. LIKE THAT IS WHERE MY MIND WENT. AND THEN I WAS I WASN’T ALLOWED TO TELL ANYBODY. SO BECAUSE SHE HAD NOT YET TOLD MY BROTHERS SO I WAS LIKE, OKAY, SO THIS HEAVY, HEAVY THING IS WEIGHING ON ME AND I COULDN’T TALK TO IT ABOUT ABOUT IT WITH ANYBODY UNTIL SHE SPOKE TO THEM. NOW, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT YOUR TREATMENT, LET’S GET BACK TO YOU. SO YOU WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT YOUR MOM AND THEN LATER YOU WERE DIAGNOSED AS WELL, CORRECT? I WAS DIAGNOSED IN JULY, JULY OF 2022. SO THE NEXT YEAR. THE NEXT YEAR. AND WERE YOU STILL GOING THROUGH YOUR TREATMENT WHEN SHE WAS. NO, I WAS FINISHED. I JUST HAD RADIATION AND I AND I WAS DONE. YES. SO AND THEN HOW LET ME ASK YOU, HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOUR DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOSED? I WAS DEVASTATED. I WAS AT WORK. WE WE HAD NO POWER THAT DAY. SO WE’RE ALL JUST SITTING THERE. AND SHE TEXTED ME AND THAT WAS IT. I WAS A MESS. SO I LEFT WORK. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I COULDN’T IF I SPOKE IT OUT LOUD, IT MADE IT TRUE. BECAUSE EVEN WHEN I BECAUSE I WAS AT WORK, I GOT I JUST STARTED MY BRAND NEW JOB AND I, I SAID TO MY BOSS, MY DOCTOR CALLED. I’M GOING TO TAKE THIS IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM. AND AND I’LL BE BACK. WELL, I WAS TOLD IT WAS CANCER. AND THEN I TEXTED MY BOSS, I TEXTED MY MOM, AND THEN I TEXTED MY BOSS. AND THEN NOBODY WAS COMING OVER. AND I WAS LIKE, DO I JUST SIT HERE? DO I JUST WAIT? BUT EVEN THEN, I COULD EVEN TELL THEM THAT THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD JUST MET A MONTH PRIOR THAT I HAD CANCER. BECAUSE IF SPEAKING, IT MADE IT REAL, REALLY TOUGH TO GO THROUGH. NOW, YOUR TREATMENT DID NOT EVEN LAST A YEAR. TELL ME HOW. HOW WERE YOU? I HAD 16 RADIATION TREATMENTS. I HAD HAD A LUMPECTOMY. THERE WAS NOTHING IN MY LYMPH NODE. SO I HAD 16 RADIATION TREATMENTS, YOU KNOW, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. AND I WENT TO WORK EVERY DAY AFTER MY TREATMENTS. SO AND HOW ARE YOU DOING NOW? OH, GREAT. YES. THANK YOU ALL RIGHT. YOU’RE TAKING CARE OF HER. SO TELL ME HOW YOU’RE DOING. YOU’RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR TREATMENTS? YES, I’M STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TREATMENTS. I JUST FINISHED 16 ROUNDS OF CHEMO ON FRIDAY. WE STARTED IN NOVEMBER, AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE IN WHAT, JANUARY? YES. BUT WE HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH INFECTIONS AND SURGERIES THAT EVERYTHING KEPT GETTING PUSHED BACK. SO WE FINISHED ON FRIDAY, AND IN TWO WEEKS I BEGIN MY PLANNING FOR RADIATION AND I WILL DO AT LEAST FIVE WEEKS OF RADIATION, BOTH OF YOU FOUND YOUR CANCERS WITH ROUTINE MAMMOGRAMS? NO. HOW DID YOU FIND YOURS? WHEN MY MOM AND MY AUNT MARY KAY WERE DIAGNOSED BACK TO BACK IN 2021, I ASKED MY GYNECOLOGIST, CAN I HAVE A MAMMOGRAM? BECAUSE OF MY EXTENSIVE FAMILY HISTORY, MY GRANDMOTHER, MY AUNTS ON BOTH SIDES. AND THEY TOLD ME, NO, YOU ARE YOUR MOM WAS IN HER 60S. YOUR AUNT WAS IN HER 50S. YOUR GRANDMOTHER AND YOUR OTHER AUNT JUDY WERE ALSO IN HER 60S. SO WE’LL WAIT TILL YOU’RE 40. AND SO A YEAR LATER IS WHEN MY LUMP WAS FOUND AT MY AT MY ANNUAL APPOINTMENT. AND EVEN THEN I WAS TOLD IT PROBABLY WASN’T CANCER BECAUSE I WAS TOO YOUNG. SO WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN AND MEN OUT THERE THAT MIGHT NEED TO SCHEDULE A MAMMOGRAM, THAT ARE WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAVE FAMILY HISTORY? DO IT. DON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. I MEAN, MY LIFE COULD HAVE LOOKED TOTALLY DIFFERENT IF I HAD A MAMMOGRAM IN 2021. ABSOLUTELY. SEE IF YOU FEEL SOMETHING, GET THE MAMMOGRAM. IF YOU JUST DON’T FEEL RIGHT, TRUST YOUR GUT. WOMEN AND MEN NEED TO JUST TRUST YOUR GUT. GO TO THE DOCTOR. JUST GO TO THE DOCTOR. AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU IF YOU DON’T HAVE INSURANCE, IT’LL PAY FOR A MAMMOGRAM. THERE’S MANY, MANY ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT WILL HELP YOU. HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT THAT YOU GUYS HAD EACH OTHER? I WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LEANING ON EACH OTHER THROUGH YOUR TREATMENTS AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. SHE HAS BEEN AMAZED. SHE DOES NOT LIKE TO BE TOLD SHE’S STRONG. SHE SAYS, I’M DOING WHAT I NEED TO DO TO LIVE, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. BUT ATTITUDE IS SO, SO IMPORTANT. AND SHE HAS A GREAT ATTITUDE AND SHE REALLY KEEPS UP WITH EVERYONE. IF WE HAVE SOMETHING TO DO, SHE DOES IT. AND THEN WE GO HOME AND SHE GOES TO BED LIKE A TODDLER. LIKE A TODDLER. AND BUT ATTITUDE IS SO IMPORTANT AND IT’S SO HARD AS A MOTHER TO WATCH YOUR CHILD SUFFER BECAUSE SHE SHE DID SUFFER AND SHE STILL SUFFERING. YOU JUST WANT TO TAKE IT ON YOURSELF AND YOU CAN’T. STILL AHEAD, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND PREGNANCY IS ACTUALLY REALLY COMMON APPROACH IN HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. AS A WOMAN, WHY, YOU MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE YOU’RE AT RISK. WELCOME BACK TO WTA LESSONS. ACCORDING TO THE CDC, NEARLY HALF OF AMERICANS HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. WE SPOKE TO A CARDIOLOGIST WITH UPMC MCGEE’S POSTPARTUM HYPERTENSION PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CONDITION CAN IMPACT WOMEN. WE LIKE TO WELCOME DR. MALAMA CONTOURS. YOU ARE AN EXPERT IN WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE, SPECIFICALLY HEART DISEASE. AND YOU WORK FOR MAGEE WOMEN’S HOSPITAL. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. MY PLEASURE. START OFF TALKING ABOUT HYPERTENSION. WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT? YEAH. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREGNANCY, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE ELEVATION AND SOMETIMES THAT MANIFEST DURING PREGNANCY. SOMETIMES INDIVIDUALS HAVE PREEXISTING HYPERTENSION OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE BEFORE PREGNANCY. BUT TYPICALLY, WE DEFINE THIS AS A BLOOD PRESSURE ELEVATION. MORE THAN 140 OVER 90. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HYPERTENSION IN PREGNANCY, THIS CAN MANIFEST ANY TIME REALLY DURING PREGNANCY OR EVEN AFTER DELIVERY. AND WE TYPICALLY DIAGNOSE IT BY SEEING THAT BLOOD PRESSURE ELEVATION THAT CUTOFF OF 140 OVER 90 IS IS SORT OF THE KEY. AND FOR OUR AUDIENCE MEMBERS, WHY SHOULD WE CARE IF WE HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? WELL, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREGNANCY IS ACTUALLY REALLY COMMON. SO WE SEE IT AFFECTING ABOUT 15 TO 20% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PREGNANCIES AND AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SEQUELAE THAT CAN CAUSE SORT OF ADVERSE EFFECTS BOTH DURING PREGNANCY AND EVEN AFTER PREGNANCY AND HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE HEART DISEASE DOWN THE LINE. SO THINGS LIKE DURING PREGNANCY, IF IF A WOMAN DEVELOPS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE LIKE PRE-ECLAMPSIA OR GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION, THEY’RE AT RISK TO DEVELOP THEIR BABIES TO DELIVER THEIR BABIES EARLY OR PRETERM. AND THERE CAN BE A NUMBER OF COMPLICATIONS BOTH FOR BABY AND ALSO COMPLICATIONS FOR MOM AS WELL RELATED TO THAT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. SO WE WORRY ABOUT THINGS LIKE HEART FAILURE, KIDNEY INJURY, LIVER INJURY, AND THOSE CAN ALL BE SEEN RELATED TO CONDITIONS LIKE PREECLAMPSIA. NOW, YOU DON’T JUST SEE PREGNANT WOMEN, BUT LOTS OF WOMEN ARE AT RISK FOR HEART DISEASE. HOW ARE THE RISK FACTORS? AND THE CAUSE IS DIFFERENT FROM MEN AND WOMEN. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. SO THERE ARE UNIQUE RISK FACTORS FOR HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN, AND I’LL FOCUS ON THOSE A LITTLE BIT FIRST, BECAUSE THEY SOME OF THEM DO RELATE TO PREGNANCY. SO KIND OF NUMBER ONE, WOULD BE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREGNANCY, PRE-ECLAMPSIA OR GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION, ACTUALLY PRETERM DELIVERY ALONE IS A RISK FACTOR FOR HEART DISEASE, AS IS GESTATIONAL DIABETES. SO DIABETES THAT HAPPENS DURING PREGNANCY. WHEN WE LOOK BEYOND THE PREGNANCY WORLD, THEN WE THINK ABOUT OTHER SORT OF THINGS, COMMON IN WOMEN WOULD BE BREAST CANCER, INFLAMMATORY DISORDERS LIKE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. ALL OF THOSE CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE HEART DISEASE DOWN THE LINE. AND THEN THE TRADITIONAL RISK FACTORS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, I THINK ALL THE TIME WOULD BE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND DIABETES OUTSIDE OF PREGNANCY, INCREASED RISK FOR WOMEN TO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER RISK FACTORS? SO A LOT OF WOMEN ARE WATCHING THIS AND THEY’RE THINKING, WHAT CAN I DO TO PROTECT MYSELF AND MY HEALTH? WHAT CAN WE DO? WELL, I THINK BEING AWARE OF SORT OF IMPORTANT NUMBERS LIKE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS AND THAT COULD BE BOTH DURING PREGNANCY AND AFTER PREGNANCY. WE WOULD REALLY HOPE THAT WOMEN IN PARTICULAR ARE CHECKING BLOOD PRESSURES AT HOME. SO IF YOU SEE BLOOD PRESSURE BE ELEVATED ABOVE 140 OVER 90, THAT SHOULD BE A CLUE IN THAT YOU NEED TO TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THOSE MEASUREMENTS AND ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS ARE DOING ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT THAT’S SOMETHING THAT EACH PERSON CAN SORT OF LOOK OUT FOR ON THEIR OWN AS WELL, AND OTHER KIND OF BIOMARKER MEASUREMENTS LIKE A HEMOGLOBIN A, ONE C FOR DIABETES. ALL OF THOSE COULD BE RISK FACTORS FOR HEART DISEASE. AND THEN WHAT CAN WE DO IN TERMS OF LIFESTYLE TO MAKE OURSELVES MORE HEALTHY? YEAH, I LOVE THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK THERE’S A LOT THAT WOMEN CAN DO ON THEIR OWN TO DECREASE HEART RISK AND TO ALSO IMPROVE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE THAT ARE BEYOND, SAY, MEDICATIONS OR KIND OF TREATMENTS THAT DOCTORS MIGHT PRESCRIBE FOR YOU. THINGS LIKE REGULAR EXERCISE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. SO THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS. EXERCISING 150 MINUTES A WEEK SO YOU CAN KIND OF SLICE THAT HOWEVER YOU LIKE. BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO GET THAT MODERATE LEVEL ACTIVITY IN THE DASH DIET OR DIET APPROACHES TO STOP HYPERTENSION IS A HEART HEALTHY DIET, BUT ALSO HELPS LOWER BLOOD PRESSURES. SO LOW SODIUM, LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, STEERING AWAY FROM THE RED MEATS OR RED MEAT PRODUCTS LIKE BUTTER OR HIGH FAT DAIRY. AND STICKING TO THAT DIET WILL HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE AND ALSO REDUCE RISK FOR HEART DISEASE DOWN THE LINE. SLEEP IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND LOWER STRESS IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT. THOSE THINGS ALSO HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE, BUT MAY BE HARD DEPENDING ON LIFE SITUATION. SO I THINK CONSIDERING A LOT OF SORT OF FACTORS THAT CAN HELP DECREASE RISK, HOW ARE WOMEN DOING HEALTH WISE IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION? WELL, WE, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND PREGNANCY, WE SEE IT ACTUALLY PRETTY COMMONLY AT MAGEE WOMEN’S HOSPITAL. WE DO ABOUT 10,000 DELIVERIES PER YEAR AT MAGEE IN ABOUT 1000 OF THOSE WILL HAVE A HYPERTENSION DISORDER OR PREGNANCY. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE SEE HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN AND PARTICULARLY RELATED TO PREGNANCY PRETTY COMMONLY IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A DEVOTED CLINIC TO CARING FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREGNANCY AFTER THEY DELIVER. SO WE REALLY WANT WOMEN, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE OR HAD HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE RELATED TO PREGNANCY, TO BE FOLLOWING UP, TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE BEST STRATEGIES TO REDUCE RISK AND KIND OF MANAGE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE LONG TERM. LET’S TALK ABOUT AGE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. DO YOUNGER WOMEN HAVE ANY REASON TO WORRY ABOUT THIS OR IS THIS JUST AN AGE RELATED THING? THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. AND I THINK REALLY A KEY TAKE HOME POINT THAT ANYBODY IS AT RISK FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND PARTICULARLY WHEN WE SEE IT RELATED TO PREGNANCY, YOUNG WOMEN ARE AT RISK. SO WE REALLY WANT EVEN YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY YOUNG WOMEN WHO MAY BE PREGNANT OR RECENTLY PREGNANT, TO BE CHECKING THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. AND IF YOU’VE HAD HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREGNANCY, THAT CAN SOMETIMES CONTINUE LONG TERM. SO THERE’S SOME OLDER TEACHING THAT SAYS THAT ONCE YOU’VE HAD PRE-ECLAMPSIA AND YOU’VE DELIVERED THAT, THE RISK GOES AWAY. AND WE JUST KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT TRUE. STILL AHEAD, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHY THERE IS SUCH A DISPARITY IN THE CARE OF BLACK WOMEN DURING THEIR JOURNEY AND DURING THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF BLACK WOMEN ARE DYING DURING PREGNANCY. THE FACTORS CAUSING THIS COMPLEX ISSUE. WELCOME BACK TO WTA LESSONS. STUDIES SHOW THAT BLACK AMERICANS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO DIE DURING PREGNANCY THAN WOMEN OF OTHER RACIAL GROUPS. WE SAT DOWN WITH THE CHIEF CLINICAL DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER FOR THE ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT ISSUE RIGHT NOW I’D LIKE TO WELCOME DR. MARGARET LARKINS PETTIGREW INTO THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT WOMEN’S HEALTH. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE IN THIS FIELD, PARTICULARLY THE DISPARITY WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN’S HEALTH AND EVEN MORTALITY RATES FOR MOTHERS. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING TOPIC, BUT AN IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR US TO DISCUSS TODAY. SO IT’S A PLEASURE OF BEING HERE WITH YOU IN COVERING THIS TOPIC. SO I AM AT ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK AND HIGHMARK, AND MY JOB IS ALL DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT DISPARITIES IN HEALTH, WE LOOK AT DISPARITIES IN HEALTH FOR EVERYBODY. AND HEALTH EQUITY FOR EVERYONE. SO WE’RE WE’RE NOT TALKING JUST ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICANS ON A WHOLE. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICANS, PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES, LGBT POPULATION AND WOMEN. AND THESE ARE MANY OF THE AREAS WE SEE DEPRESSION IN, PEOPLE WHO ARE MINORITIZED. BUT WHAT RISES TO THE TOP IS WHAT HAPPENS WITH BLACK WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AS IT RELATES TO THEIR MATERNITY JOURNEYS AND OUTCOMES OF THEMSELVES. AND THEIR BABIES VERY HIGH. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST IN THE IN THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AS IT RELATES TO THOSE COUNTRIES THAT ARE ARE RICH COUNTRIES. AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF INFANT MORTALITY AS WELL. AND SO WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR DECADES. SO BOTH BLACK MOTHERS ARE AT RISK AND THEIR BABIES ARE MORE AT RISK. WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THAT? WELL, WE KNOW THAT BLACK WOMEN HAVE A 3 TO 4 CHANCE, 3 TO 3 TIMES THE RATE OF EXPERIENCE OF DEATH IN THEIR PREGNANCY JOURNEY COMPARED TO WHITE WOMEN AND WE KNOW THAT BABIES THAT THOSE WOMEN CARRY OR BABIES THAT WHO WHO DON’T SURVIVE, IT’S AN INCREASED RATE ABOUT TWO TIMES MORE COMPARED TO WHITE WOMEN. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AND LATINO WOMEN ARE IN THE SAME THE SAME CATEGORY. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LOSS, THERE ARE MANY, MANY ISSUES AROUND WHY THIS HAPPENS. AND AND WE HAVE IT’S BEEN DECADES. SO WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. BUT WE KNOW THAT IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE TACKLE IN FOCUS ON AND IT HAS TO BE A COMMUNITY EFFORT THAT CAN’T BE JUST ONE MAJOR INSTITUTION. IT HAS TO BE EVERYONE WHO TOUCHES THE LIVES OF WOMEN, AND THAT MEANS EVERYBODY, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE WOMEN IN OUR FAMILIES AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE TAKING CARE OF SO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY EXPERIENCING A HIGH RATE OF DEATH FOR MOMS AND BABIES. IS IT FIXABLE? I HOPE SO. IT IS ABSOLUTELY A SITUATION WHERE I THINK THAT IF WE FOCUS AND THAT WE REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EMBRACED THE ISSUES AROUND WHY IT HAPPENS, WE CAN FIX IT. SO WE HAVE A PROGRAM AND THIS PROGRAM IS CALLED FIRST STEPS AND BEYOND. IT REALLY HAS IDENTIFIED MANY OF THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE DEATH OF MOMS AND BABIES DURING THEIR PREGNANCY JOURNEY. AND IT REALLY STARTS WAY BACK. AND THE FACT THAT BLACK WOMEN ARE SUBJECTED TO TOXIC STRESS THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. SO AS THEY WHEN YOU’RE BORN AS A BLACK WOMAN, YOU ARE BORN INTO A SPACE WHERE YOU ARE ALWAYS EXPERIENCING MICROAGGRESSIONS AND MICROAGGRESSIONS YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. NOW YOU END UP PRE PREGNANT OR IN A PREGNANCY JOURNEY. THAT STRESS COMES WITH YOU. WE KNOW BY THE BEST PRACTICES AND RESEARCH THAT IT HAS CHANGED THE WAY THAT WOMEN ENTER A PREGNANCY JOURNEY. SO THERE’S A HIGH RISK OF PRETERM LABOR AND PRETERM DEATHS FOR BABIES, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WHEN MOMS ENTER THAT PREGNANCY JOURNEY DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND MANY, MANY MORE. CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IS ALSO A BIG ONE. THAT’S JUST ONE OF THE PRONGS THAT WE FOCUS ON, AND THAT IS HOW DO WE PREVENT WOMEN FROM EXPERIENCING PRETERM LABOR AND PRETERM DEATHS? BUT THE OTHER BIG ONE THAT WE DON’T TALK ABOUT A LOT IS OBSTETRIC RACISM. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHY THERE IS SUCH A DISPARITY IN THE CARE OF BLACK WOMEN DURING THEIR JOURNEY AND DURING THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AS WOMEN. AND SO THAT’S ANOTHER FOCUS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT. AND SO WE NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES. BUT HOW DO WE GET HERE? HOW DO WE GET HERE WHERE WE’RE IN A SPACE WHERE WOMEN ARE NOT LISTENED TO, THAT THERE’S MANY, MANY EXAMPLES OF THAT HAPPENING. AND WHEN WOMEN ARE NOT LISTENING TO, THERE’S MANY THINGS THAT OCCUR. THEY DON’T GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEED. THERE’S A SIGNIFICANT DISTRUST. THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEIR PROVIDERS IS ONE THAT DOESN’T SAY THIS IS PARTNERSHIP, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO EDUCATE, EDUCATE ALL WOMEN AS WELL AS ALL PROVIDERS OF WHAT THAT MEANS IN THE IN THE WHOLE ASPECT OF OBSTETRIC RACISM. BUT HOW DOES IT AFFECT WOMEN? BECAUSE RACISM, DISCRIMINATION BIAS KILLS NO MATTER WHAT SPECIALTY YOU’RE IN. BUT WE KNOW PARTICULARLY IT’S ONE THAT AFFECTS WOMEN A LOT TO DEAL WITH. FOR OUR VIEWERS WATCHING THIS, FINALLY, I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU’VE OBVIOUSLY SAID THAT THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COMMUNITY TO MAKE SOME CHANGES. WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT WE IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES FOR BLACK WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN, DECREASING THE DEATH OF BLACK WOMEN AND CHILDREN MEANS DECREASING THE DEATH OF ALL WOMEN AND CHILDREN. AND WE’VE SEEN THAT. WE SEE THAT THE THINGS THAT WE DO, THE THE INTERVENTIONS THAT WE DO FOR BLACK WOMEN AFFECTS ALL OF US. RIGHT. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WOMEN, PERIOD, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD. BECAUSE WHO DOES THE REPRODUCTIVE LIFESTYLES FOR EVERYONE WHO’S WHO’S HAVING THE BABIES? WHO’S MAKING SURE THAT OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES BY INCREASING THE WORKFORCE? YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IT THAT AT THAT BASIC LEVEL, THE ISSUE IS WE ALL HAVE TO BE ALLIES, EVEN IF WE’RE NOT WOMEN. MEN HAVE TO EMBRACE THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE HAVING AS WOMEN. REALLY BE ALLIES AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE PART OF THIS JOURNEY TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME FOR WOMEN. YOU’RE WATCHING WTA LESSONS. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. WELCOME BACK TO WTA LESSONS. WHETHER YOU LIVE IN ONE OF PITTSBURGH’S NEIGHBORHOODS OR ANY SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, TELL US ABOUT WHAT’S WRONG AND WHAT’S RIGHT IN YOUR AREA SO WE CAN LISTEN. YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL. WTA LISTENS AT HEARST DOT COM THANKS FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GOOD WEEK.