Voice Your Concerns
The history of the doctor-patient relationship has always been authoritative by default. This means that patients tend to put all of their trust into the provider, even if they may feel contrary to what is being said. However, the doctor-patient relationship has now evolved to a patient-centered approach. This means that patients are also active participants in their own care/treatment plans. For this relationship to work both the provider and patient need to be engaged in the treatment plan. While many providers are already using this approach to treating and managing patients, many patients in the Black community still exercise the authoritative relationship with their providers.
Now that we can understand the inner workings of the provider-patient relationship, we can set the stage for understanding how compilations can arise around maternal health within these communities. Expectant mothers rely on their providers to help keep them and their unborn baby safe during their pregnancy and childbirth. However, what happens when the expectant mother is insecure about speaking up for herself or worried about how she may be judged when she voices any concerns? Unfortunately, this may be a valid concern in the present day when the trend of women of color who died after giving birth in our country in increasing.
The only way to mitigate the fear many pregnant women of color and marginalized pregnant women have in speaking up for themselves will be through continued validation and support from campaigns such as the HEAR Her Campaign. We also need more awareness and training for providers to help dispel the fear many of these women have in speaking up.
Pro Tips for Voicing your Concerns
- If you feel something isn’t right or feels off, please tell the provider..
- If you feel pain that is outside of what your doctor has prepared you for, tell your provider immediately.
- Be as descriptive about the pain as you can.
- Do not wait until the pain becomes unbearable.
- Keep a logbook of your concerns and periodically check to see if the issues were resolved.
- If the issues are occurring during the postpartum period while you are still in the hospital, ensure that you or your support person is keeping track of any issues that you’re having and making sure they have been resolved.
The Increasing Demands on your OB/GYN
Next to the patient, the provider plays an important role in the patient’s health outcome. However, some OB/GYNs’ are being faced with an increasing patient load as our population continues to increase. Furthermore, providers are also responsible for providing value-based care to their patient populations. The average OB/GYN could see as many as 30 patients in a day and deliver over 25 babies in a month. These numbers can increase or decrease depending on location and demographics. If we consider the high caseload of the OB/GYNs, then adding the component of addressing each and every concern of every patient can be a daunting task. Your doctor is a human and is just as susceptible to stress as anyone else.
Keeping a logbook of your symptoms or concerns can be a great resource for both you and your doctor. Your logbook can also help you and your doctor identify any health trends that could be developing. Although some emergencies after giving birth are mostly acute and unpredictable for certain patients, there are some patients who might have already demonstrated an increased risk of an adverse event beforehand thus the emergency could have been avoided.
Communicating to Close the Loop
In today’s world there are plenty of ways communication can happen between the provider and patient. Whether you are communicating in-person, online using your healthcare portal, or by telephone, it is important to communicate with your provider. Do not be afraid to voice your concerns or questions. If you do not understand something ask your doctor for supplemental information. If you have a tendency to forget your discussions with your OB/GYN you always want them to write down any specific instructions for you. Optimize the birthing/education nurse or lactation nurse at your doctor’s. Many of your questions and concerns can be addressed by the specialized nursing team. It may sound like a broken record at this point, but keeping a logbook of your symptoms can be detrimental to helping you maintain a healthy pregnancy and postpartum recovery.
Lastly, I strongly recommend creating a personal birthing support team, Choosing Your Birthing Team. It will be very important to have your own validation team with you when you give birth. Having people beside you who you know and trust can reduce your stress level dramatically. Remember, if the worry or concern is stuck in your head, it may not get addressed.
Links & Resources
https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html
The Maternal Health & Safety Awareness Post 
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