{"id":65366,"date":"2026-01-09T11:17:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T16:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/?p=65366"},"modified":"2026-01-09T14:09:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T19:09:29","slug":"beloved-maternal-health-advocate-dr-janell-green-smith-died-in-childbirth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/beloved-maternal-health-advocate-dr-janell-green-smith-died-in-childbirth\/","title":{"rendered":"Beloved Maternal Health Advocate Dr. Janell Green Smith Died\u00a0in\u00a0Childbirth\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr. Janell Green Smith, one of the most treasured voices in the fight against Black maternal mortality, died in childbirth on January 2nd. She was 31 years old.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Green Smith, a certified nurse-midwife, disseminated valuable information about gaps in Black maternal health outcomes on social media. She went by the moniker the \u201cLoc\u2019d Midwife.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She is survived by her husband, newborn, and the many people whose lives she touched by practicing her life\u2019s calling of \u201ccatching babies.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Green Smith’s Advocacy\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

She worked with the non-profit\u00a0<\/span>The Hive Impact Fund<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to support mothers and mothers-to-be with the resources\u00a0required\u00a0to expand and\u00a0maintain\u00a0their families.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her death was met with an outpour of mourning on social media. The American College of Nurse-Midwives issued\u00a0<\/span>a statement expressing their grief<\/span><\/a>, sadness, and outrage at the unexpected news. It appeared across their\u00a0social\u00a0channels.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Smith was a respected midwife, scholar, and advocate whose life and work reflected a deep commitment to respectful, evidence-based, and\u00a0equitable\u00a0care. That a Black midwife and maternal health expert died after giving birth in the United States is both heartbreaking and unacceptable,\u201d they wrote.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer 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,\u201d they continued.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Black Women Are at Increased Risk Despite Education, Income, or Professional Expertise\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Green Smith’s tragic death is a heartbreaking example of the Black maternal health crisis. In 2024, the <\/span>Centers for Disease Control (CDC)\u00a0<\/span><\/a>reported that \u201cBlack women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women.\u201d The\u00a0<\/span>International Journal for Equity in Health<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0describes Black maternal mortality in the United States as \u201cone of the most alarming and persistent indicators of racial injustice.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost maternal deaths are preventable, as the health-care solutions to prevent or manage complications are well known,\u201d according to the\u00a0<\/span>World Health Organization<\/span><\/a>. To prevent these tragic occurrences, competent and caring providers must be available. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rise of Maternity Deserts\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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A post shared by Dr. Cambria J Nwosu | Nurse advocate (@cjnlegalnurse)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n