It may be 2023, but disparities in healthcare still exist, especially for Black women. They are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications in the United States, compared to white women as a result of lackluster pre- and postnatal care. Due to our country’s healthcare history, there’s also an ongoing theme of medical mistrust between the Black community and U.S. medical providers. To empower all women to put their health first, Scary Mommy sat down with content creator Lakeishea Drayton-Sharpe to learn about her experience as a Black woman navigating the healthcare system and how Wellstar was a source of security and comfort for her during a health scare. This is her story, as told to BDG studios.

I’ve always had the idea in my head that going to the doctor can be scary, but I didn’t have my first “real” medical scare until I was about five months pregnant with my first and only daughter. I had to spend a week in the hospital and get an emergency cerclage, a procedure that stitches the cervical opening closed to prevent or delay premature birth, because it was too early for my daughter to be born. Once I was admitted, everything moved fast: I had a catheter and an IV placed and was given an epidural to prepare me for the procedure.

I was terrified! It wasn’t just me who was in danger -- the little girl I’d been growing in my belly for five months, whom we had just chosen a name for, was also at risk. To add to that, things I thought I had months left to prepare for were happening right then! My job as a lifestyle, motherhood and DIY content creator is one that is organized, perfectly detailed and pre-scheduled. This experience was the opposite of that.

As most Health scares tend to go, I wasn’t prepared for any of it. And being a Black woman adds another layer of complications into the mix. There’s a longstanding history of unfair treatment and mistrust between Black women and the U.S. healthcare system: A 2020 poll found that 7 out of 10 Black Americans feel they’ve been treated unfairly, and 55% say they distrust it.

Despite these negative statistics, my health is my priority. Here are five things I learned while navigating my health as a Black woman.

1. Mistrust Exists Within the Healthcare System, But Not All Experiences Are A Statistic

I prayed the entire time I was in the hospital. Sadly, I’ve heard so many horror stories from Black pregnant women when it comes to medical care, and I didn’t want a similar outcome. Fortunately, my experience at Wellstar was not another negative statistic. I was lucky to have an amazing OB/GYN and OB specialist to make sure I was taken care of. In situations like this where you’re scared and uncertain, communication is huge. The clinical staff, nurses and doctors all made sure I knew what was going on and what to expect. I could tell they cared about helping me have a positive outcome.

2. Asking Questions Is Vital

The hospital or doctor’s office can be intimidating, and it’s normal to be confused or scared. To stay calm, I asked about a million questions, and the staff answered each one no matter how silly it was. This helped me feel confident in my providers, and confident that everything would be OK. Open communication between my doctors, nurses, clinical staff and myself and my husband allowed me to feel less stressed and better able to focus on preparing for my daughter rather than obsessively worrying and spiraling down a bad track.

3. Doing Your Own Research Is SO Important

Being aware of the statistics pushed me to do my homework when choosing my healthcare providers—so when an emergency struck, I already knew I had doctors I trusted. In fact, my number one tool working with Wellstar is its provider directory. Wellstar makes it easy to search by location and provider, so you can get a better understanding of who will be taking care of your health before you even meet! Wellstar even makes their own providers’ special certifications, education history, and patient ratings publicly available, so you can see what other patients have to say about their experience with that specific doctor, which is huge when selecting someone to take care of you.

My doctor took such great care of my daughter and me throughout my health scare and entire pregnancy that when he moved to another Wellstar hospital a little further away, I decided to follow him even though it was an extra 15-minute drive.

4. Having A Strong Network Matters

I have my family and friends to rely on but thankfully Wellstar also has a strong network I can trust. When I started experiencing terrible pain a couple of weeks after giving birth that only got worse as my daughter got older, my OB/GYN referred me to another specialist within the Wellstar community to treat what I later found out was a gallbladder problem.

With five health parks that include primary care, specialists, urgent care, imaging and surgery all under one roof, I know Wellstar will have my back—and my daughter’s—for all routine and spur-of-the-moment health needs. Their MyChart system also makes it easy to access all of my test results, schedule appointments online, request refills and send messages to my physician from my smartphone or computer.

5. The Network You Choose Makes A Difference

Life isn’t as polished as my social media feed. Inevitably, surprises will be thrown at you no matter how organized, prepared, or health-conscious you are. I've done my homework on Wellstar and their involvement in the community. Their Center for Health Equity addresses health inequities across Georgia. They have partnerships with nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies to make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.

You can also do your part to reduce disparities in healthcare by showing up for your health. That means getting regular health screenings and checkups to identify risk factors before illnesses or issues develop.

I trust Wellstar to take care of my health, and you can too. Learn more here.