Equitable Health Care Is a Birthright: How Irth App Empowers Women of Color

According to a White House statement on Maternal Health Day of Action in 2021, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy nations. Shockingly, black women face more than three times the risk of pregnancy-related complications compared to white women. In response to these alarming statistics, journalist and activist Kimberly Seals Allers founded the nonprofit app called Irth, which aims to connect expecting and new mothers of color with healthcare providers who will prioritize their well-being and that of their babies. By providing a platform for members to rate doctors and hospitals, share experiences, and foster a supportive community, Irth is making childbirth safer for women of color.

As a mother of two, Allers herself experienced bias within the healthcare system. She was shocked by the discrimination she faced during the birth of her daughter at a predominantly white-staffed hospital when she was an unmarried graduate student. Feeling disrespected and dismissed, Allers realized that she had to fight for basic care that should have been standard. Motivated by her own experience and the stories of other women, Allers became an advocate for maternal rights, working to collect women's stories and inspire healthcare reform locally. With the support of her son, who became interested in computer science as a teenager, Allers created Irth to provide mothers with a better alternative to unreliable word-of-mouth recommendations.

Irth empowers its members to be vigilant about early indicators of maternal health risks. From dismissive attitudes toward patients' pain levels to scolding and lack of eye contact, these experiences are reported within the app. Analysts review the data and bring any concerning patterns to the attention of the providers. Currently, Irth is piloting a program with four hospitals to help them proactively use the crowdsourced reviews to improve the quality of care.

Shared Experience: How Irth Makes a Difference

Doula Jennifer Michel-Wilson, based in New York City, recommends Irth to her clients of color during initial consultations. She highlights the app's value as a tool to combat the mistreatment often faced by Black and brown people within the healthcare system. This mistreatment includes healthcare workers' skepticism when Black women report pain and the disproportionate number of unnecessary C-sections performed on women of color.

Lakeima Brown, a mother who followed Michel-Wilson's suggestion to download Irth, initially planned to give birth at the hospital where she and her husband worked. However, after reading reviews on Irth, she opted for a facility in Queens with private rooms, cheerful lighting, and higher ratings on the app. After delivering her baby, Brown immediately shared her own story on Irth, recognizing the power of personal experiences in helping others make informed decisions. Allers acknowledges the significant role of doulas, often overlooked within the white maternity complex, in improving birth outcomes for Black women. Doulas are given a special badge on Irth to highlight their invaluable perspectives as they witness numerous experiences beyond just their own clients.

Changing the System: Irth's Impact

Allers acknowledges that while many hospitals provide anti-bias training, it doesn't always lead to tangible improvements. Through Irth, she highlights the disheartening fact that even hospitals considered to be doing well may have a large number of reports where patients' pain levels were dismissed. Irth also tracks cases of infant and maternal deaths. Allers hopes that these aggregated reports will prompt politicians to take action. However, her true benchmark for success is not just reducing mortality rates but creating an early warning detection system that ensures expecting mothers have positive experiences throughout their pregnancies.