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Dr Zsakeba Henderson

@equity_safety_wellbeing

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Tomorrow! If you are in the Atlanta area, come out and join us! by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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7 months ago

2025 was challenging year for public health, maternal health, and health equity, but I am so grateful to have the privilege to continue the work to improve the health and lives of families in our country. So many beautiful opportunities in 2025, now on to doing it better in 2026! La lucha continua!✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽#2025recap #ESWConsultants @dr.zsakeba by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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10 months ago

Postpartum Depression is Real. And It Doesn’t Discriminate.

While I was pregnant with my third daughter, I was working full-time as a public health leader and obstetrician-gynecologist, balancing patient care, epidemiology, and the weight of launching a major perinatal healthcare quality initiative at the CDC. Despite having a high-risk pregnancy I worked right up until my 38-week prenatal appointment, where I was told it was time for my baby to be born.

I wasn’t mentally prepared that day to have a baby, but I was excited. Already a mother to two beautiful girls, ages 6 and 4, I thought I knew what to expect. But nothing could have prepared me for the emotional toll that followed.

I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. But I was also caring for my aging mother, supporting two young children, managing a newborn with her very busy physician father, and under enormous pressure to return to work quickly. I did return—at 12 weeks postpartum—juggling motherhood and final preparations for a new grantee meeting.

Within weeks, I knew something was wrong. I felt like I was drowning.

What I experienced wasn’t just “baby blues.” It was a slow spiral into postpartum depression—hopelessness, apathy, and a deep loss of joy. I’m grateful I recognized the signs and had access to professional help. I was able to take time off and start healing. But far too many Black mothers don’t have that support or access to care.

That’s why Black Maternal Mental Health Week matters. Because mental healthcare IS maternal healthcare. We must raise awareness, normalize help-seeking, and build systems of support—especially for Black mothers who are too often overlooked and underserved.

💛 Please watch the attached video to learn more about warning signs for postpartum depression and anxiety, and encouraging mothers to get the help they deserve.

https://lnkd.in/gzCYG_Mx

#BMMHW2025 #BlackMaternalMentalHealth #PostpartumDepression #PostpartumAnxiety #MaternalHealthEquity #EndTheSilence #PerinatalMentalHealth
#BlackMamasMatter by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

A noticeable absence. A looming threat. A critical call to action.

This week, I attended the ACOG/CDC Maternal Mortality Prevention Meeting, an event I’ve participated in for nearly 20 years. But this time was different.

For the first time ever, there were no CDC staff present.

Their absence wasn’t just symbolic, it underscored the devastating impact of ongoing attacks on our public health infrastructure and the real risk we face under the proposed Republican budget.

Key pillars of maternal health prevention, including Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), pregnancy mortality surveillance system (PMSS), and state Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs), are all under threat of being cut. These programs are not optional; they are essential. Their loss would set us back decades in the fight to save moms’ lives.

The meeting itself focused on critical areas such as:
• Improving identification of pregnant and postpartum individuals, especially in emergency and non-OB settings
• Increasing readiness of non-OB providers to respond to obstetric emergencies
• The importance of accurate maternal mortality data reporting

These are vital conversations. But to be honest, the community, patient voice, and equity lens were glaringly absent, as was the leadership of the very agency that helped create this platform for change.

Maternal mortality is still a problem in the U.S. Although we saw small decreases overall in 2022, mortality rates for Black women are still increasing and disparity gaps are persistent. We can’t afford to go silent or backwards. We need sustained investment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to equity now more than ever.

Let this be a wake-up call. Without support, the work we’ve built together for nearly two decades could unravel.

🚨🚨🚨See the last photo below for information on how you can act by contacting your representatives

#MaternalHealth #CDC #MMRC #PQC #MaternalMortality #BlackMaternalHealth #HealthEquity #PerinatalHealth #ReproductiveJustice #ESWConsultants #EquitySafetyWellbeing #PolicyMatters #FundPublicHealth by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

Mother’s Day weekend was the perfect time for CommuniTEA 4 Change, an event to unite leaders and advocates for maternal health, addressing disparities affecting Black women, sponsored by Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project and Morehouse Center for Maternal Health Equity.

CommuniTEA 4 Change gathered policymakers, including Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL), healthcare innovators, faith leaders, and community advocates to discuss transformative strategies for improving maternal health outcomes. It was focused on not just talking about the challenges, but discussing real solutions.

#BlackMaternalHealth #reprojustice #DSMAP #BirthingTheMagic
#MorehouseSchoolofMedicine
#centerformaternalhealthequity by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

“REAL CHANGE IS INCREMENTAL AND ORDINARY: THE WORLD CAN BE MADE A BETTER PLACE THROUGH QUALITY, KINDNESS, AND ACTION.”

This quote resonates deeply with me. It’s a reminder that meaningful transformation doesn’t always come from sweeping reforms or viral moments. More often, real change happens in quiet rooms, in thoughtful decisions, and in small, consistent acts of care.

Whether it’s ensuring a birthing person is treated with dignity, listening to community voices during a QI planning session, or improving how outcomes are measured and addressed—every small step matters.

As the founder of Equity, Safety, and Wellbeing Consultants, I work with organizations across the country to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. My mission is to help teams move from intention to impact—and from equity statements to actionable strategies that save lives.

If you’re seeking to strengthen your quality improvement initiatives, engage communities more meaningfully, or build sustainable, equity-centered practices, I’m currently accepting new clients and speaking engagements.

Let’s make this ordinary work extraordinary—together.

#MaternalHealth #HealthEquity #QualityImprovement #BlackMaternalHealth #PublicHealth #Leadership #Consulting #KindnessInAction #ESWConsultants by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

I’m heading to the 2025 NNPQC Annual Meeting held in New Orleans, LA on May 6-7!

At this year’s meeting, we’ll attend plenary sessions focused on improving perinatal health care quality, work with peers in group sessions to discuss new strategies, and showcase the work of our PQC.

I’ll be sharing my insights from the meeting using #LiveatNNPQC25. by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

The 2025 NNPQC Annual Meeting will be held in New Orleans, LA on May 6-7.

@NNPQCNews will bring together state Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs) for an opportunity to learn from industry experts and peers while collaborating on strategies for improvement that will help transform quality of care for mothers and babies across the country.

Check out the schedule at a glance in the PQC Portal for details on sessions and speakers! #LiveatNNPQC25 by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

May is Preeclampsia Awareness month, and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to take part in the Purple Peach Party: Connecting Sisters, Sharing Our Stories gathering to raise awareness, build connections, and empower one another on our journey to Black maternal well-being. It was healing to share our stories and hear the stories of others who have been impacted by preeclampsia.

Did you know that 76,000 moms and 500,000 babies WORLDWIDE lose their lives each year due to preeclampsia?

Peeeclampsia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in our country and Black women are at higher risk.

If you or someone you know is pregnant, KNOW THE SIGNS and be proactive.

#PreAM25 #Preeclampsia
#AskMeAboutPreeclampsia #MyPreeclampsiaStory#BlackMaternalHealth by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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a year ago

Black Maternal Health Week Ends Today, But the Movement Doesn’t

As we close out Black Maternal Health Week 2025, let’s recommit to this truth:
The fight for maternal health equity doesn’t end on April 17th.

This is year-round work that requires:
• Continued funding for maternal health innovation centers
• Implementation of Momnibus policies in every state
• Investment in Black-led community-based organizations
• Restoration of public health jobs, programs, and data systems that have been silenced or eliminated

To everyone who advocates, organizes, researches, supports, and resists—thank you. Your work honors the legacy and builds the future.

Let’s keep moving. Together.

#BMHW25 #BlackMaternalHealthWeek #BMMA #ReproJustice #SustainTheWork #BlackMaternalHealth #HealingLegacies #PublicHealthRebuild #EquitySafetyWellbeing by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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2 years ago

Black Maternal Health Is a Human Right—Not a Political Debate

The right to safe, respectful, affirming care is fundamental. Yet, across the country, that right is being threatened—especially for Black, Brown, rural, LGBTQ+, and immigrant birthing people.

We must support policies that advance and protect those rights:
• Paid family leave policies (as seen in California, Rhode Island, and New York)
• Comprehensive reproductive and postpartum care, including contraception and mental health access
• Hospital accountability legislation like California’s Assembly Bill 3161, also known as the Equity in Health Care Act, which mandates that health facilities include processes in their patient safety plans to address racism and discrimination.

And we must resist the politicization of public health. The elimination of teams, termination of equity-focused staff, and censorship of terms like race and health equity harms us all.

A government that censors data and silences truth cannot protect its people.

#BMHW25 #BlackMaternalHealthWeek #BMMA #HumanRights #ReproJustice #HealthCareIsAHumanRight by @equity_safety_wellbeing

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2 years ago