The Stories We Tell: Black Women’s Narratives of Agency,(Dis)Respect,and Resistance During Prenatal Care

Abstract

More than 30% of Black women report experiencing disrespect and mistreatment, such as being dismissed, ignored, or verbally abused, and up to 40% endure racism during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Epidemiological studies of disrespectful care are beneficial to understanding the scope of the problem but fall short of exploring how mistreatment can reproduce historical harm and function to control, coerce, and render Black women invisible during their care. This qualitative study used narrative inquiry and Black Feminist Thought to examine stories of (dis)respectful care for narratives of power, agency, and oppression at two Central Florida clinics. Semi-structured phone interviews with 16 Black women who were 3–12 weeks postpartum were conducted. Five meta-themes emerged: (1) intersectional oppression deepens dehumanization; (2) institutional conditions create power imbalances; (3) patient resistance demonstrates agency; (4) provider training reinforces medicalization; and (5) an ethic of care ensures visibility. These findings highlighted Black women’s unique social location in the United States, their current and historical relationship to power within healthcare institutions, and their will to resist these forces. Resistance occurred when Black women faced invisibility, misrecognition, and paternalistic relationships with providers. However, for some women, prenatal care was liberatory and created an environment where they were seen, valued, and trusted.