Black Maternal Health Week: Life Course, Weathering, and Why Maternal Health Is Public Health.

Episode Description:

Mariam Badru introduces the first episode of the Maternal and Child Health Podcast, released during Black Maternal Health Week 2026 (April 11–17), following National Public Health Week, emphasizing that maternal health is public health. She shares her entry into maternal and child health as a preconception health educator at the University of South Florida (2015–2016) and explains how chronic stress from systemic discrimination shapes health across the life course, including intergenerational effects, citing research on epigenetic changes following the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the concept of “weathering” introduced by Dr. Arline Geronimus. She discusses PBS’s “Unnatural Causes,” outlines Black Maternal Health Week’s origins with the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (2018), and reviews data showing persistent U.S. maternal mortality disparities, including higher rates for Black women and American Indian/Alaska Native women, preventable deaths, maternal care deserts, and the need for multi-level, equity-focused solutions centered on listening to affected voices.

Timestamps/Segments:

00:00 Welcome and Purpose

01:12 My Public Health Journey

02:26 Life Course Perspective

03:48 Weathering and Chronic Stress

05:21 Documentary That Changed Me

06:36 What Black Maternal Health Week Is

08:12 The Data Behind Disparities

11:13 Beyond Numbers and Access Gaps

12:06 Solutions and Equity in Practice

14:37 Call to Action and Closing

Hello, my name is Mariam Badru, and welcome to the Maternal and Child Health Podcast. As a certified public health professional for over ten years, a PhD student, a researcher, and a mom, I've come to realize that maternal and child health is more than just the statistics. It is the lived experiences, the complex realities, and the stories that often go unheard.

On this podcast, we'll talk about all of it, from the realities of motherhood to momming and PhD-ing, to the maternal and child health issues and systems that shape these  outcomes.  Will cover a wide range of topics related to health and wellness of women, children, and families, with a focus on social determinants, health disparities, health equity, and past and current maternal and child health issues across the world.

Through these conversations, we aim to raise awareness, strengthen dialogue, and ultimately contribute to reducing disparities and improving health outcomes. So if you care about women's health, babies, families,  or the future of public health, you are in the right place. So follow along and your next favorite podcast might just be this one.