We've got to do pregnancy and birth in a way that prioritizes our survival and that means being informed and exercising all the care options available to us.

Qiyamah Birth & Wellness Center works to educate women on all of their options for care including different types of providers and facilities.

A major factor in preventable maternal deaths is education and knowing how to identify when something is wrong. During pregnancy and postpartum there are signs and symptoms that can indicate a potentially life-threatening complication. Unfortunately, studies show that these serious symptoms are often dismissed as "minor."

By the time women actually do seek medical care, our condition is often too far advanced for treatment to be effective.

That means that even when there's a treatment available to help us, it isn't working because we're waiting too long to get that help. The Black Girl's Guide to Surviving Pregnancy lists all 13 Urgent Maternal Warning Signs in detail with pictures.

Preview the guide below.

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