Shakeria Clark’s parents died within a year each other – her father in July 2020 and her mother the following April. A beloved uncle died around the same time.
The 29-year-old from Rural Hall, North Carolina, was still reeling from those losses when she found out she was expecting. The single mom already had a 5-year-old daughter, and she felt isolated without her parents to support her. “It’s just my grandmother and me left,” she said.
She considered abortion. In fact, she went to an abortion clinic – but not because she didn’t want her baby. She worried she wouldn’t be able to take care of him. From the clinic, she called her grandmother, who assured her: You’re not alone. Clark left the clinic and headed home.
In the days that followed, Clark kept hearing her mother’s voice in her head, saying, “You’ve got this.”
Soon after Clark went to her OB-GYN at Novant Health Today’s Woman in Winston-Salem, she got a call from Samantha Sharp, a high-risk pregnancy navigator, and nurse, devoted primarily to the Winston-Salem region. She’s one of three systemwide high-risk pregnancy navigators who aim to improve maternal and infant health outcomes for their patients.
Holistic care for high-risk pregnancies.
To be classified as “high risk,” a patient must fall into one or more of three categories:
- Food insecure.
- A previous preterm delivery of less than 34 weeks.
- Substance misuse.
Clark had indicated she was food insecure when she was at her first OB-GYN appointment after finding out she was pregnant. “I wouldn’t have mentioned my food insecurity if I hadn’t been desperate,” she said. “It can be shameful to admit to certain things. It’s hard to ask for help.”
It’s now standard for Novant Health to ask patients about food insecurity. It’s part of a major initiative to address the social determinants of health that prevent many people of color or other disadvantaged backgrounds from attaining optimal health.
Novant Health is also addressing Black maternal mortality – a topic captured in this New York Times story: Childbirth Is Deadlier for Black Families Even When They’re Rich, Expansive Study Finds. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.
Support during pregnancy – and beyond
The program has an automatic referral feature through electronic records software, Sharp said. “Our MDs can make referrals, too – but having the automatic feature helps us ensure that no one falls through the cracks.”
When Sharp sees a referral in her inbox, she makes a phone call. She meets with moms virtually – either by phone or video. That’s much easier for a working mom to fit in her schedule.
“I tell them I'm a maternity navigator and offer my support to them throughout their entire pregnancy and into the postpartum period if they want support; no one is obligated. I’m there to answer questions, help with resources, to make sure they have everything they need for a successful pregnancy, postpartum period and motherhood.”
Her patients often have a variety of critical needs. “I don't give them every resource I think of right away because it can be daunting,” she explained. “And they don’t want to stockpile diapers until right before the baby’s due.”
Clark was thrilled to have the support.