Being pregnant and going into labor were the scariest moments of my life. And it wasn’t because I didn’t know what to expect, or because I had watched too many movie deliveries. I was terrified because I knew, that despite living in America, one of the richest countries in the world - that it was very likely that I would die. Statistically, pregnant women in the US have more complications, more C sections, and more deaths than women in other developed countries. And as a Black woman, I knew the numbers were especially dire for me. I knew that factors that usually reduce pregnancy and labor risks (under 35 yrs old, high education, high income, diligent prenatal care) would not be enough to counteract the dangers of my race. I had read about how, statistically doctors are less likely to believe women when they say that they’re in pain... and even less likely to believe Black women.