Transforming Legacy

The experiences of one generation manifest in the health outcomes of subsequent generations. It is imperative, therefore, to examine how the societal structures on which public health depends in a community perpetuate generational trauma through policies and practices embedded in racialization and inequity. Experiences such as having one’s mother die in childbirth or suffering from the tradition of female genital mutilation can have a traumatic impact on a woman’s birthing experience as well as her whole life. These can be addressed with sensitive care during the perinatal period and provide a step toward healing.