“We Can’t Shrink From The Fight”: Black Maternal Health Advocates On The Crisis—And The Hope—Driving Change

By Jasmine Browley ·Updated April 16, 2025When Dr. Faith Ohuoba, a board-certified OB-GYN in Houston, Texas, noticed swelling in her legs after delivering her baby via C-section, she trusted her instincts. Her blood pressure had spiked to a deadly 200/120—yet her doctor ignored her concerns. So she did what she had to do: prescribed herself blood pressure medication.“I could have died,” she told ESSENCE. “I’m a physician, and even I was dismissed. So I kept