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Patricia Pouncey, a grandmother from Detroit, is searching for answers after her 35-year-old daughter died while giving birth in December.
Now, the distraught grandmother has been left with the challenge of raising all 12 of her daughter’s children.
Pouncey’s nightmare began in December when her daughter Nikita Washington died at Harper University Hospital after delivering her 12th child, Nathaniel, via Cesarean Section (C-Section), according to Fox 12 Detroit.
The grieving grandmother said Washington went to the hospital alone because her husband is incarcerated. With no additional support, Pouncey stayed behind to care for the rest of the children. But it was a decision she now painfully regrets.
“I’m hurt and I’m confused,” Pouncey told the outlet. “If she died naturally, I want to know. If one of them doctors did something, I want to know that, too.”
Pouncey believes malpractice may be to blame for her daughter’s death
Doctors told Pouncey that her daughter was treated for high blood pressure when she arrived at the hospital on the night of December 22. The doting mom was rushed into surgery afterward. But after several hours went past with no update, the family grew worried. That’s when Pouncey’s sister went to the hospital to check on Washington.
The following day, doctors informed the family that the mother of 12 had died after she successfully delivered Nathaniel. Washington passed away from excessive bleeding after a stitch from her C-Section procedure broke. A death certificate issued from the Wayne County Clerk stated that the 35-year-old matriarch died from a “postpartum hemorrhage” and “complications from multiple cesarean sections,” the outlet noted.
Pouncey worries that malpractice may be to blame for her daughter’s death.
“I haven’t talked to anyone from the hospital. I have not received anything from them. All I have is the death certificate,” she said.
As the family struggles to find answers, supporters have come together online to help Pouncey adjust to her new reality. A GoFundMe has been created to assist the grandmother with funeral costs for her daughter and additional income for childcare costs. The fundraiser account has raised over $100,000.
On March 4, the dedicated grandmother, who has 18 grandchildren and three surviving daughters, posted on Facebook that she had been blessed with a house and a vehicle.
C-Sections carry great risks for Black women
Washington’s tragic death offers a dark glimpse into the reality that many Black mothers face across the U.S. Studies show that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications due to C-Sections, chronic health conditions and inadequate healthcare, according to Open Democracy. Black mothers are often pressured to undergo the procedure at a higher rate (35.9 percent) than white women (30.7 percent). While medical officials often recommend C-Sections for women carrying twins or for those giving birth to children after their childbearing years, the delivery method can come with serious complications.
Mothers can experience damage to the bladder, infections, heart attacks or even severe hemorrhaging during the procedure. Excessive bleeding during a C-Section is one of the leading causes of childbearing-related deaths. Uterine scarring can also develop, leading to severe pain, abnormal bleeding and future surgeries to remove damaged tissue.
Some medical researchers believe that there may be an ugly incentive for medical staff when they push pregnant women toward a C-Section delivery. The Value Penguin reported that doctors could be profiting off the dangerous procedure. A pregnant individual could pay close to $22,646 for a C-Section compared with $12,915 for a “normal” vaginal delivery when opting for a hospital delivery.
Fortunately, Black mommas can drastically reduce the need for C-Sections and other dangerous medical procedures by including a doula in their delivery plan.
Read more about the power of doulas below.
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