Medical misdiagnosis affecting women after death, 30-year-old woman in Georgia forced to carry fetus though medically pronounced dead

By Ileya Robinson Williams 

Medical misdiagnoses are not uncommon, with 12 million Americans being misdiagnosed in the U.S. annually.  With current reproductive rights challenges, Black women are experiencing multiple levels of these medical issues. 

According to a study conducted by Harvard University, misdiagnosis in the medical community was found to be linked to systemic racism. 

Stanford University’s Lane Medical Library defines medical racism as “ the systematic and widespread racism against people of color within the medical system. It includes both the racism in our society that makes Black people less healthy, the disparity in health coverage by race, and the biases held by healthcare workers against people of color in their care” 

And though they may not know the verbiage to describe it,  Black women are no stranger to discrimination in the medical field. Me and countless other women have experienced this kind of medical racism for generations. 

And the effects are showing: Black women are losing trust in their physicians, going to the doctor less, and rejecting mainstream medical practices. 

The medical climate was disastrous for the family of Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old nurse and mother, who is currently being kept on life support against the wishes of her family because of a misdiagnosis. 

According to her family, when Smith started experiencing severe headaches, she sought care not once but twice, and both times she was dismissed without being administered diagnostic testing. 

Not until she was found unresponsive and ultimately brain dead was she admitted in the hospital, and by that point, it was too late.

Due to the Georgia law, formally known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act. Smith must be kept breathing until she can deliver her baby. 

Sadly, this story is just a snapshot of the tragedy that Black women are facing as a result of unsuccessful health and wellness practices in the medical field. 

Unfortunately, it does not appear that this issue is on track for improvement under the current U.S. presidential administration. 

When asked about his prior statements about vaccinations at his Senate confirmation hearing, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Health and Human Services Secretary, made reference to a Polish study that claims that “Blacks” have different reactions to different antigens in vaccines, and therefore should be put on a different vaccination schedule.  

Rhetoric like this, especially coming from one of the top health officials in the United States, is not only untrue but extremely dangerous for Black patients. 

Though medical misdiagnosis and bias persist, the issue has not been completely overlooked. Websites like ZocDoc allow users to access specialized medical doctors around you and online at any time. As well, you can find Black wellness articles and a Black healthcare professional directory near you using this search engine. 

In these uncertain times, it is important to remember that we deserve more than just survival – but healthy lives.