Episode 62: Black Maternal Health, Advocacy & Awareness ft. Justina Kopp

Black Maternal Health Week is recognized each year, April 11-17, to bring attention and action in improving Black maternal health. Justina Kopp, mom to quadruplets and a NICU baby herself, shares how her experience led her to advocacy.   In this episode, we chat about: The moment she found out she was pregnant with quadruplets. Justina’s relationship with her OB/GYN. Her difficult relationship with her MFM doctor and how that made her feel. Her care in the NICU. How this experience changed how she approaches healthcare, particularly for herself. Her best advice to a woman of color who finds herself pregnant, with one baby or more.   Justina Kopp lives in the Twin Cities, Minn., with her husband, Matthew and their quadruplets. She is a 2013 graduate of the University of St. Thomas where she studied Catholic Studies and Biology. Currently, Justina is pursuing a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.   Justina’s essay: https://motheringspirit.com/2023/01/fighting-for-our-lives/   Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html https://blackmamasmatter.org/2023-black-maternal-health-week/   Connect with Justina: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinakopp    The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.   Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.   Connect with Hand to Hold: Learn more or get support at handtohold.org   Follow Hand to Hold on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/   Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold      The following music was used for this media project: Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license