The best way to advocate for yourself from the very start of your journey to parenthood? temekazoremd, an ob-gyn and fertility specialist, shares her thoughts:
series featuring medical professionals who are dedicated to supporting and preserving Black maternal health. These doctors share their experiences, insights and advice to help guide and empower women of color who are planning or navigating pregnancy.
Even a routine visit to your doctor’s office can feel overwhelming at times—especially when you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. You’re likely bursting with questions and staggering under the avalanche of information. You may even be struggling to feel heard and wondering whether your provider is truly the right fit. Advocating for yourself, particularly as a Black parent-to-be, is critical.
TB: As an ob-gyn and fertility specialist, what challenges do you see Black parents-to-be facing as they look to grow their families? What advice do you have to help people avoid or work through them?I find that there are a lot of misconceptions regarding Black patients and fertility. There are a lot ofseeking information or assistance for infertility, and I find that directly speaking to those stigmas is important.
TB: How can women of color best advocate for themselves from the very start of their journey to parenthood?Bring a trusted friend or family member to appointments, take notes, ask questions and seek a second opinion if you need to. Doctor visits can be filled with a lot of information, numbers and statistics, and it’s not easy to remember it all. Some studies show that patient recall of medical facts is less than 50 percent.
For more conversations around Black maternal health, check out additional Doctor Spotlight interviews with