Leigh Purry, senior manager of Community Health at Blue Shield of California's Health Transformation Lab, recently spoke with Marlee Ginter, CBS News Sacramento correspondent, to raise awareness of racial disparities that put Black people at higher risk of death during childbirth.
The documentary, Birthing Justice, follows women through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, exposing racial bias and barriers to adequate health care.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
“We should be able to get pregnant and have healthy babies and not be fearful that we’re going to lose our lives,” Purry said.
Leigh remembers pleading with nurses to let her roll on her side when pushing wasn't working. Her baby wasn't coming out, but Leigh said no one would listen to her.
"There was a charge nurse at the time who said, 'let her turn on her side!' And the moment I turned on my side, my daughter Amber came out,?" Purry said.
"I couldn't imagine life without Amber," said Purry. "And when I think about the risk that I faced, it's heartbreaking."
Read the full article here.