Fighting to Save Black Moms After a Near-Death Experience
Rayna Reid Rayford almost lost her life while pregnant.
She was 30 weeks along when she felt intense pain in her stomach. After rushing to the ER, doctors brushed it off as dehydration. Rayna knew something was wrong. She drank a gallon of water daily, but the doctors didn’t listen. They told her, “Pregnancy can be painful. You just need to deal with it.”
A week later, things got worse. Rayna began vomiting uncontrollably. She returned to the ER in even more pain. Despite her panic, doctors still planned to send her home.
But her family, including medical professionals, pushed back. They demanded tests. After hours of waiting and being ignored, Rayna was finally diagnosed with acute necrotizing appendicitis. She was rushed into surgery. If her family hadn’t stepped in, she could have died.
A New App for Black Women Called “Pregnant and Black”
After surviving this terrifying experience, Rayna was inspired to take action.
She is now developing a new app called Pregnant and Black (PAB). The app will help Black women get support during pregnancy. It will connect them with advocates who can help them speak up in medical settings. No one should have to rely on luck or family in medicine to survive childbirth.
“I almost became another number,” Rayna said. “A statistic in the Black maternal health crisis.”
Black women in the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. And according to the CDC, over 80% of those deaths are preventable. Rayna hopes her app will help close that gap.
Building a Safe Community for Black Mothers
“Pregnant and Black” is not just a tech solution. It’s a movement.
Rayna is working to create a community that shares resources and real stories. The app will allow pregnant Black women to find support and feel heard. It aims to prevent other women from facing the same fear, pain, and neglect Rayna did.
“No woman should face discrimination or neglect when it comes to her health and the health of her baby,” she said.
The app will launch updates and resources at www.pregnantandblack.com and on Instagram at @pregnantandblack. It’s all about making sure Black mothers are protected, heard, and supported from the beginning of their pregnancy to postpartum care.
Why Advocacy Matters for Black Women During Pregnancy
Rayna’s story shows how serious medical neglect can be.
When she couldn’t even walk on her own, doctors still tried to send her home. It took a crowd of family members, many of them doctors, to get her the care she needed. That shouldn’t be the standard.
“Being pregnant and Black is a dangerous combination,” Rayna said. “But it doesn’t have to be.”
Pregnancy should never come with the fear of dying. Through “Pregnant and Black,” Rayna is making sure Black women have what she almost didn’t: real support and a voice that matters.
Changing the Future of Black Maternal Health
Rayna’s journey from near-death to advocate shows what strength looks like.
By telling her story and launching a digital tool, she’s giving others a chance to live. Her mission is simple but powerful: help Black moms survive and thrive.
She hopes that no woman will feel alone or ignored again. The healthcare system may not change overnight, but with tools like PAB, Black women can take back control of their pregnancy journeys.
