Birth Without the ‘B’: Avery Pratt Trailblazing in Advocacy for Black Maternity

Committed to public service and a leading IRTH Ambassador, second year Avery Dianne

Pratt is the embodiment of a trailblazer. Raised in Michigan as a NICU baby herself, Pratt is

devoted to reducing bias for Black women in maternal care.

“The death rate for maternal mortality rate for Black women is about 243% more than

white women.” Pratt said.

Pratt works to combat medical mistrust and bias in the maternity field through the

initiative Birth without Bias. Meaning, the title ‘IRTH’ represents birth without the ‘B’ in bias. In

her work, she has helped create the first ever review app for hospitals, birth centers, healthcare

workers and centers to raise advocacy and awareness on Black women’s experiences in maternal

care.

Furthermore, they have created a network of Black mothers, women and healthcare

workers to exchange shared experiences and sentiments. Pratt has the role of sharing these

resources and collaborating with student organizations to further advocacy and recognition of the

work of Birth without Bias.

“Through the app, you’re able to see what hospitals that we partner with who are working

towards more inclusive birth experiences as well as care experiences for Black and brown

babies.” Pratt said.

Pratt also shared that she was a NICU baby herself, born at 24 weeks through an

emergency C-section. She shared that her family had a history of an auto-immune disorder, and

lack of support or aid had been provided from medical workers when her mother had gotten sick

from the pregnancy. Pratt stated that it wasn’t until her male friend and an OBGYN advocated

for what her mother had already said that she received adequate medical attention.

“With those factors, if my grandparents did not fly down, if her male friend was not in the

hospital, if she did not have that doctor, would the treatment have been the same? Had just one

circumstance been different, I wonder if I would be here or if my mom would be here today.”

Pratt said.

After her experience as a March of Dimes baby, Pratt made it her mission to pour back

into initiatives reforming Black maternal care. Through Tamara Mason, who works at the local

Atlanta March of Dimes office, Pratt was introduced to IRTH. Since then, she has used her voice

and platform to bring visibility to IRTH and raise awareness on Black maternal health injustice.

As Pratt shared her work, she continued to note that there is still much work to be done.

She plans to continue to combat and minimize the discrepancies in maternal care Black women

face, through continuing to share her stories and many others.