to explore My Work in Transformative AI Policy & Innovation
Phone: (202) 656-4809
Erica L. Shoemate
Maternal Health Strategist & Policy Advocate
Motherhood is unique for all
and while I cannot tell you exactly what your journey will bring, my story has fueled me to step up and help make it as informed possible for new mommies to be.
In 2017, I surprisingly became pregnant in the midst of my first consultation with a fertility specialist (and no intervention ever needed) and was catapulted into a journey I could not have known would change my life and purpose forever. At 20 weeks my husband and I were sent to a maternal fetal medicine specialist (high risk doctor) where we received a devasting diagnosis – our baby had a very rare and
lethal
form of dwarfism. We were informed our baby would likely not survive birth, and in very matter-of-fact terms, were advised to terminate.
I believe maternal and reproductive health challenges should be given with facts and also choices.
I am a Christian woman born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee.
Twenty-four hours before our termination procedure was set to take place we listened to God and chose to continue my pregnancy. Five years later, I am the mother of my beautiful and thriving baby girl, Nia. Life today is routine, we know what she needs, what to expect and how to operate in our day-to-day. However, in the first weeks and months of her life we needed all of the support we could get, but that was not the experience we had.
I was led to go find the right information for myself
I served as a National Security Analyst -
And leader for more than a decade for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and across the U.S. Intelligence Community. I used my skills of sorting useful information from bad and positioned myself and my daughter to receive the best care possible, needed to give her the best chance at life.
Reflecting on my journey I believe it is my responsibility to do the same for other mothers-to-be and new moms. Our healthcare system is not built to fully support women who look like me with a “normal pregnancy” let alone a complex pregnancy, but it can be as I will lend my expertise and support to make that happen.
I hope you will join me.
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