I am a mother, a daughter, a birth worker and a black woman.

When I first heard about the guidance I couldn’t help but cry. Then I got angry, and then…I started to take action!

How can this blatant lack of regard and ignorance be public. The audacity of the statements made, astounded me and hurt in equal measure.

The immediate impact of this draft was clear as many others feel the same. Already it is causing harm to people’s mental health.

Following the investigation into the disproportionate disparities in black and brown maternal mortality rates, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), has proposed a draft guideline which among other things, would recommend the induction of black and brown women and birthing people as a way of reducing risk. The details within the draft guidance are not supported by the knowledge and research already obtained, in which we have learnt that the pathologising of pregnant people, unnecessary interventions and an over medicalisation of birth actually increases, grief, fear and trauma.

Therefore the proposed guidelines would in fact cause harm to black and brown people.

Suggesting also that black and brown bodies are less able to birth contradicts history and does not address the original issue, instead causes another in addition. 

More effectively, addressing the systemic racism, lack of knowledge and underfunding as well as affording the right support would be more effective.

Lastly, this draft of recommendations in itself causes harm to black and brown women and birthing people who once again have not been heard or consulted in this decision of management of our bodies.

This petition is to support counter proposals being prepared for the NICE consultation in which people not included in stake holder organisations cannot have their say.

This petition is to request that the government do not accept this guidance and implement into the NHS and private bodies as it will lead to further coercion and unnecessary intervention causing more injury and death to black and brown bodies.

Please sign this petition and allow us to birth our babies, maintain autonomy over bodies and pursue a more effective solution to the disproportionate racial abuse.

Thank you

Leah Lewin @notson.i.c.e @theobsuk