Renee Mehra PhD, MS, Amy Alspaugh PhD, MSN, CNM, Jennie Joseph LM, et al
Level of effect of motivating factors on wanting to become a midwife (n = 799). † Indicates factors in top tertile of percent of respondents who indicated that the factor had a very strong effect on their desire to become a midwife. Respondents could respond “Not applicable” to personal factors and if so, were not included in this figure.
4.3 Conclusions
Structural and interpersonal racisms are both motivators and barriers for aspiring midwives of color. Providing racially concordant care in the community, reducing racial disparities in health, and experiencing discrimination in health care settings are among the strongest motivating factors for aspiring midwives of color. However, costs of midwifery education, lack of racial concordance in midwifery education and the midwifery profession, and racially motivated exclusion from the profession are major barriers. Generational harms and a legacy of discrimination have erased Black and Indigenous midwives and healers from their communities, which may have a significant impact on who pursues midwifery education and careers. The urgent diversification and inclusion of professional and academic midwifery leadership, as well as public health, medical, and institutional leadership that understands the impact of these inequities and the need for funding, must become a priority in order to address this drastic workforce deficit and to mitigate the alarming maternal health disparities among communities of color. CLICK HERE FOR FULL PUBLISHED FINDINGS
Midwives of Color 