Ending Stigma to Save Mothers

On today’s episode, we are switching gears; instead of interviewing someone in recovery, we are sitting down with a medical expert who is also deeply woven into Zavian's personal journey. Angie Chisholm is a nurse-midwife from Shelbyville, KY, with years of experience working on the frontlines of treatment with pregnant and postpartum women in Oregon and Kentucky. In this deeply necessary conversation, Angie breaks down the heartbreaking reality of the US maternal mortality rate (which includes deaths in pregnancy or the year after pregnancy) and why the postpartum period is the most dangerous time for mothers in recovery. We tackle the massive stigma surrounding Medically Assisted Treatment/Medication for Opiate Use Disorder (MAT/MOUD) during pregnancy, and answer the burning question of whether babies are actually born "addicted." They also discuss practical tools that Angie used to help Zavian through his own detoxes.  Whether you are a mother fighting for your life, a family member trying to understand the cycle of generational trauma, or just someone looking for the truth, this episode is for you.