- Black women, even experts, face higher maternal mortality rates due to systemic racism in healthcare.
- Dr. Janell Green Smith, a respected midwife, died from childbirth complications, highlighting this crisis.
- Dismissive or negligent medical care contributes to the maternal health disparities Black women face.
Pregnancy is as beautiful a thing as it is a harrowing thing, especially if you’re a Black woman. Giving birth to a child is significantly safer than it was hundreds of years ago, but be clear, it can still be very dangerous for the mother, as there are a myriad of complications that can occur at any time before, during, and after a child is brought into the world, especially if you’re a Black woman. Sometimes, those complications are a result of dismissive, negligent, or racist medical staff, especially if you’re a Black woman.
According to The Grio, a devout Black midwife from South Carolina named Dr. Janell Green Smith has died as a result of childbirth complications.
Dr. Smith was a staunch proponent of Black maternal health and made it her life’s work to help our women be more educated and prepared for the journey of motherhood. On her final Instagram post from July that celebrates her 1-year anniversary with her husband, there are hundreds of comments from grieving people whom Dr. Smith helped.
Take this comment from user @taylorleeczer:
I have no words for the loss of this woman. She delivered my baby and stayed with me for 40 hours and was my angel during the darkest hours. My favorite midwife And the most beautiful person inside and out.
Dr. Smith also lent her passion and expertise to a nonprofit organization, Hive Impact Fund, that also promotes and provides resources toward maternal healthcare.
The American College of Nurse-Midwives posted a memorial on Facebook along with the following message, relaying their condolences to Dr. Smith’s family and expressing their outrage that this could happen to her.
The American College of Nurse-Midwives mourns the devastating death of Dr. Janell Green Smith, CNM, who died from complications of childbirth. Dr. Smith was a respected midwife, scholar, and advocate whose life and work reflected a deep commitment to respectful, evidence-based, and equitable care.
That a Black midwife and maternal health expert died after giving birth in the United States is both heartbreaking and unacceptable. Her death underscores the persistent and well-documented reality that Black women—regardless of education, income, or professional expertise—face disproportionate risks during pregnancy and childbirth due to systemic racism and failures in care.
Sadly, BOSSIP has reported on several instances where Black women’s maternal health was ignored or dismissed by those who are allegedly trained professionals. Most recently, we published the story of Mercedes Wells, a Black Indiana woman who was kicked out of the hospital during labor pains only to give birth to her child 8 minutes later on the side of the road. To be frank, it’s a miracle that Wells and her child survived, as no medical practitioner was there as she and her husband did their best to navigate the harrowing ordeal.
No details about what exactly happened to Dr. Smith are available at this time, but should the family choose to share, we will keep you updated. A GoFundMe has been launched.
