By 2019, Rep. London Lamar had seen a cousin die as a result of complications during childbirth. She had advocated for better support for women during pregnancy. And she had suffered her own devastating late-term pregnancy loss. Lamar, a Memphis Democrat who is Black, cited those experiences in introducing a resolution recognizing the role of doulas in addressing maternal and infant health disparities in Tennessee — where Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women and the rate of Black infant deaths is nearly twice that of white infants.
- March 17: Patch.com