Melanin Maternity Matters

04/24/2026

🕊️

A woman who went viral for spending less than $47 on her wedding dress has died during childbirth at 32 years old.

Kiara Brokenbrough died on March 30 as her son, Jonah, was born. Jonah remains in the NICU and is showing improvement. The Brokenbroughs gained attention in 2022 after celebrating their nuptials with a $500 wedding in Los Angeles.

They kept costs low by hosting fewer than 30 people at their roadside ceremony and having guests go Dutch at the reception. Kiara told the Los Angeles Times they didn't want to go into debt over a wedding. The couple was moving from West Virginia back to California when Kiara unexpectedly died.

Kiara's death came just weeks before the 10th annual Black Maternal Health Week. Black women are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than any other demographic.

04/16/2026

Black Maternal Health week 🌸

02/07/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRKQ_ZJjvXi/?igsh=MWpiZDYzZzhiZ2NweQ==

It's been discussed previously. But how can we stand up for our patients and family members. ✊🏾

01/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DuEXhVh5u/

The American College of Nurse-Midwives mourns the devastating death of Dr. Janell Green Smith, CNM, who died from complications of childbirth. Dr. Smith was a respected midwife, scholar, and advocate whose life and work reflected a deep commitment to respectful, evidence-based, and equitable care.

That a Black midwife and maternal health expert died after giving birth in the United States is both heartbreaking and unacceptable. Her death underscores the persistent and well-documented reality that Black women—regardless of education, income, or professional expertise—face disproportionate risks during pregnancy and childbirth due to systemic racism and failures in care.

We grieve Dr. Smith’s loss and recognize it as a profound failure of the systems meant to protect birthing people. In her honor, ACNM commits not only to reaffirming our values, but to intensifying our actions to dismantle racial inequities in maternal health, strengthen accountability in care systems, and work alongside Black midwives, clinicians, and communities to prevent future tragedies.

We extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Smith’s family, loved ones, and the midwifery community. We carry her legacy forward with urgency, humility, and resolve.

10/31/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQXvlymjq-P/?igsh=bW1yODRmYnhxZzRo

10/14/2025

🌸

09/01/2025

🌸US ⬇️ Women of Color ⬆️ 🤔

Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are declining—but not for Black women. Despite an overall decrease in maternal deaths in 2023, Black women continue to face disproportionately high mortality rates, highlighting persistent racial disparities in maternal healthcare. To address these inequities, ...

08/26/2025

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNa7GXrNf9n/?igsh=MTNjNWZ1c243c2tsOQ==

08/21/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNoCUTvpdmB/?igsh=YzV6bDV1Mmg3cTBu

07/20/2025

We have to make a change. Use our mind & resources to improve our health. Save our lives 🌸