Birthing Project National Training Conference in New Orleans Saves Lives of African American Babies

NEW ORLEANS - Oct. 17, 2014 - PRLog -- Birthing Project USA,the only independent national African American maternal and child health program in the US on the forefront of decreasing infant mortality, will hold its 18^th Annual National Training Conference at the Hyatt Place Hotel, 881 Convention Center Blvd in New Orleans.  The October 18 session is from 9:00am – 5:00pm.

The Birthing Project is seeking SisterFriends volunteers to help pregnant women and their infants in African American communities nationwide. SisterFriends provide practical support to teen and adult women during their pregnancy and for one year after the birth of the baby.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), African Americans had — and continue to have — almost double the rate of infant deaths as Caucasians, babies have the highest infant mortality rate in the U.S.  The 2010 CDC study stated there were 11.3 African American infant deaths per 1,000 live births. This was over 2.2 times the rate of non-Hispanic whites.

“SisterFriends are ordinary women, not necessarily healthcare professionals. Birthing Project helps SisterFriends connect with pregnant women, health and human services and assist in guiding the woman and baby during the first year of the infant’s life,” explained Kathryn Hall-Trujillo, MPH, the founder of the Birthing Project, who teaches at Tulane University.  “It’s about recreating family in our community. It’s brilliant how African Americans know how to make extended families.”

The Birthing Project was started in 1988 by Hall-Trujillo, who was a program advisor at the California State Department of Health Services, to combat infant mortality in Black communities. Under Hall-Trujillo’s direction over 13,000 babies born into 106 Birthing Projects in the US, Honduras, Africa and the Caribbean.

“It is extremely difficult for low-income pregnant women to have access to and utilize adequate transportation for prenatal health care, employment opportunities and other needs,” Thea Bashful, manager of New Orleans Rainbow Babies Birthing Project said.

During the last several years, the New Orleans Rainbow Babies Birthing Project has served over 100 women and 100 infants in New Orleans Rainbow Babies Birthing Project, has seen the volunteer SisterFriends  making a difference in the lives of pregnant women and their babies.

“SisterFriends help play a critical role to connect other women to needed services and social support,” she explained.  “Whether a SisterFriend or pregnant woman, each woman receives support from a powerful circle of women who care for one another.”

“The Birthing Project gives us the opportunity to be first responders,” said Hall-Trujillo. “Infant mortality in African American communities is our problem and we can be part of the solution.”

The Birthing Project is a method of demonstrating a cost effective way of decreasing infant mortality and morbidity in the African-American community. The Birthing Project is  the “Underground Railroad for a New Life” from Mississippi to Malawi. It targets African American and pregnant women of all ethnicities who need medical care and social support to optimize their birth outcomes. For her impact with the Birthing Project, Kathryn Hall-Trujillo has received the UCLA School of Public Health Lifetime Achievement Award; CNN “Hero Award” and Essence Magazine “National Community Service Award.

For more information, contact the Birthing Project at www.birthingproject.org