A Blood Test That Could Change Everything for Black Moms-to-Be

For Black women, the journey to motherhood comes with unique challenges. One in 10 babies in the US are born preterm. Black mothers are 50 percent more likely to experience preterm birth—one of the leading causes of infant mortality—compared to non-Hispanic white mothers. This disparity reflects long-standing systemic inequities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. But there’s hope: advances like the PreTRM® Test are equipping Black women with the tools and knowledge to safeguard their pregnancies and demand the care they deserve. BlackDoctor.org spoke with Dr. Barbi Phelps-Sandall, a board-certified OB/GYN who runs a practice in Mountain View, California, to discuss how the PreTRM® Test works, why it’s especially important for Black women, and what you can do to protect yourself and your baby during pregnancy. RELATED: 5 Things Black Women Should Know About Preterm Birth Why Black Women Face Higher Risks The reasons behind the racial disparity in preterm birth rates are complex and multifactorial: Systemic Healthcare Inequities: Black women often receive less comprehensive prenatal care compared to their white counterparts. Implicit biases within healthcare systems can lead to delayed or insufficient interventions. Stress and Racism: Chronic stress, including the effects of racism, has been linked to adverse pregnancy...