Op-Ed: The Arc Of The Well Woman

Somewhere in rural Georgia, a young woman is looking down at two blue lines. She wants to be excited about becoming a mother, but times are hard. She already works long hours just to provide for herself.

The nearest health clinic isn’t close. Between the cost of the service and time off work to go, the woman can’t attend regular check-ups during the pregnancy. Unfortunately, this isn’t rare—in Georgia, about one out of six babies received inadequate prenatal care, ranking 32^nd out of 50 states.

She persists, working throughout her pregnancy. As her baby bump starts showing, some coworkers comment on her body and her ability to do the job. She is uncomfortable but suffers in silence. Unfortunately, Georgia doesn’t have state laws prohibiting workplace harassment, so she’s afraid to speak up.

Still, she persists. Aside from an unfamiliar, uncomfortable sensation, she’s made it this far into her third trimester without prenatal care, using prayer and community.

One night, her water breaks. She focuses her mind, breathing deeply while gathering her bag to get to the nearest hospital. In the car, she notices that the strange sensation is back, a little stronger than before.

Shortly after arriving at the hospital, a doctor tells her that something is wrong. She doesn’t quite understand the details, but she hears the words “life or death.” While trying to save herself and her baby, all she can think about is how her hourly-wage job doesn’t provide healthcare. The lifesaving care she needs will undoubtedly come at a price. Yet she persists, opting for the emergency c-section that will cost over $19,000.

As she looks down holding her new baby girl, she glances over at the hospital bill. She is exhausted from labor and excited about creating a miracle, but now she’s wondering if she’ll be able to afford rent. Rent is becoming more expensive, alongside childcare. Childcare costs have soared by 50% in the last decade. In 2023, the national average cost of childcare was 32% of a single parent’s median household income. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that childcare be no more than 7%.

The new mom reaches out to a family friend from church who lives nearby. She musters the courage to ask for help and requests a place to stay, promising that it is only a temporary solution to help her get back on her feet. The friend graciously manages to make space in an extra room for the woman and her daughter.

Though still weary from giving birth and craving more time with her baby, she can’t afford to miss any more income. She needs rest and connection with her newborn daughter, but she persists and returns to work. She’s frustrated, overwhelmed, overworked and underpaid. She’s not alone–about 73% of Georgians have no paid family leave through their employment.

While planning her return to work, the new mom notices that the cost of childcare could take over three-quarters of her paycheck! The grief of losing her parents hits her again. She reaches out to an aunt, a couple of towns over, who provides in-home daycare services. Auntie isn’t close, but at least she’s affordable.

Years later, the woman has an apartment and the baby has grown. Little else has changed. Although Mom still struggles with medical debt and the high cost of living, she is proud that her daughter is happy and housed. But, as she notices her daughter struggling to keep up in school, she wonders if it’s because she couldn’t afford early childhood education when she needed it most. The woman often wishes she had more resources to support herself and her daughter.

This is the arc of life for too many working women in Georgia. They are working full-time jobs but living paycheck to paycheck, without maternity care or access to quality childcare. I envision a different arc for working women in Georgia: the arc of the well woman.

With declining birth rates and a state with one of the highest maternal mortality rates, quality childcare should be a right, not just a privilege. If Georgia’s leaders want to continue bragging about the funding surplus and being the best state for business, we also must be the best state for workers. All Georgians deserve paid leave, affordable childcare, fair wages and safe housing.

We are fighting for the arc of well-working women, and we must bring everyone with us to win. There is work to be done. So, we persist.

Jasmine Bowles is the Executive State Director for 9to5 Georgia, where she advocates for women of color through organizing, educating, and fighting for equitable legislation.

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