associated with systematic racism and one’s birthing outcomes. The undue stress of sex and race discrimination paired with institutional racism has been demonstrated to contribute to a higher risk of maternal mortality, irrespective of one’s gestational age, maternal age, socioeconomic status, educational level, geographic region, or individual-level health risk factors, including poverty, limited access to prenatal care, and poor physical and mental health (although these are not nominal factors). Black women remain the most at risk for pregnancy-associated or pregnancy-related causes of death. When it comes to preeclampsia, for example, for which obesity is a risk factor, Black women of normal weight remain at a higher at risk of dying during the perinatal period compared to non-Black obese women. (24) The rising maternal mortality rate in the United States is driven predominantly by the disproportionately high rates of Black maternal mortality. (25) Compared to women from other racial and ethnic demographics, Black women across the socioeconomic spectrum experience prolonged, unrelenting stress related to systematic racial and gender discrimination, contributing to higher rates of maternal mortality, giving birth to low-weight babies, and experiencing pre-term birth. Racism is a risk-factor for these aforementioned experiences. This cumulative stress, called weathering, often extends across the life course and is situated in everyday spaces where Black women establish livelihood. Systematic racism, structural barriers, lack of access to quality maternal health care, lack of access to nutritious food, and social determinants of health exacerbate Black women’s likelihood to experience poor or fatal birthing outcomes, but do not fully account for the great disparity. (26) Black women are twice as likely to experience postpartum depression, and disproportionately higher rates of preeclampsia compared to White women. (27) Racism is deeply ingrained in United States systems, including in health care delivery