In honor of Black History Month, it is worth asking a difficult but necessary question: What would maternal health in Kentucky look like today if we had built a maternity care system that honored the legacy of Black and community-based midwives who once formed the backbone of care across our state? To understand the current state of midwifery and perinatal care in Kentucky, we must begin with our history, both local and global. Fulton County-based midwife,  Josie Black , a pr

For decades, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) has been recognized as a safe, evidence-based option for many people with a prior cesarean birth. Yet, in Kentucky, access to VBAC remains limited, uneven, and often dependent on where someone lives, which hospital they deliver in, and which provider they see. Two recent briefs led by Dr. Melissa Eggen, PhD, MPH at the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences offer a rare and powerful opportun

Dr. Jenkins Michelle Lawhorn, Frontier Nursing University midwifery faculty appeared on Everyday Kentucky to bring attention to Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17). Dr. Lawhorn hosted a True or False game revealing shocking statistics that in the U.S., Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. The CDC notes that more than 80% of pregnancy related deaths are preventable. Given that Kentucky has some of the worst birth

On August 31, 2024, the Kentucky Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (A.C.N.M.) hosted the highly anticipated second...