THE 15 PREGNANCY QUESTIONS PROJECT
- Shantay Davies-Balch
- Mar 20
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 25
The “15 Pregnancy Questions” project was designed to improve patient-provider communication, elevate trust, and encourage patients to advocate for themselves with the hope of improving health outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Developed in 2022, the patient advocacy tool was one of the first pieces of BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center (BWPC)’s Health Education Library. The list of questions aims to complement the BLACK Birth Plan also known as the BLACK Birth framework, one of the key advocacy tools developed by BWPC, specifically by Black women, for Black women. Both resources, the BLACK Birth and the 15 Pregnancy Questions, are informed by community experiences, lessons learned, and desires voiced by Black mothers, women, and girls in Fresno, reflecting their unique perspectives and priorities.
The “15 Pregnancy Questions” community resource evolved over three stages:
“You don’t know what you don’t know”
With the goal of designing a community resource that helps overcome stages of “sea of questions” and “no concerns”, BWPC collected insights and reflections, pregnancy experiences, informal conversations with community members, and reviewed frequently asked questions from various sources. The final list of questions was shaped by these interactions.
Integration into BWPC’s Work
The “15 Pregnancy Questions” has since been integrated into BWPC’s Doula Training curriculum and influenced the expansion of BWPC’s community education resource library.
Inclusivity and Increased Patient Education
Even after its launch, the questions are continuously refined based on community feedback to ensure relevancy and diversity of needs and voices and connected with culturally affirming resources.
BWPC partnered with medical providers to further develop the questions into evidence-based, accessible, and culturally affirming patient resources that include comprehensive general education to the identified questions.
While similar health education tools and resources exist from organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), this tool retains and reflects the unique voice of Black women and birthing persons. The questions are posed in a way to allow for responses that cover a wider scope, allowing for a discussion of a wider range of subtopics related to the original question, making them an effective educational tool.
The questions are designed to be a tool to help facilitate conversations between pregnant people and their health providers, improve communication, and elevate trust between the provider-patient relationship.
High-quality, patient-centered care, which encompasses patient education strategies, is essential for delivering the high-quality care and respect Black mothers, women, girls, and birthing persons deserve but have not traditionally received.
CAN I DYE MY HAIR OR USE A RELAXER (PERM) DURING PREGNANCY?
Amanda P. Williams, MD, MPH, FACOG - Clinical Innovation Advisor California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC)
Amanda P. Williams, MD, MPH, FACOG is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and strategic physician leader focused on eliminating maternal health disparities and leveraging virtual care.
She currently serves as Interim Chief Medical Officer at March of Dimes leading their mission team to advance efforts in research, advocacy, education, and community programs that will prioritize the well-being of all moms and babies. Additionally, she oversees clinical innovations for the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative at Stanford University where she is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
IS BLEEDING NORMAL DURING PREGNANCY?
Christina J. Hiebert, MD - Birth Center Chief Fresno Medical Center, Kaiser
My California experience started at the age of 17 when I moved from Oregon to attend The University of San Francisco.
After receiving my bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, and working for three years in pharmaceutical development, I decided to pursue a career in Medicine. I moved to Los Angeles to complete my medical training at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine-Los Angeles County Medical Center. In 2011, I joined The Fresno Kaiser Permanente Medical Group to practice OBGYN. I then transitioned my practice to focus on OBGYN Hospitalist Medicine. This transition has allowed me to focus on a select segment of a Woman’s Health Care Journey, which I was then able to bring to the Fresno Medical Center in 2021.
DOES HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE BEFORE PREGNANCY IMPACT MY PREGNANCY AND DELIVERY?
Diana E. Ramos MD, MPH, MBA The California Surgeon General
Dr. Diana E. Ramos is a renowned public health leader and California’s second Surgeon General and first Latina Surgeon General.
As California’s Doctor, she is the leading spokesperson on the most pressing public health issues of the time within the State of California. Her mission is to advance the health and wellbeing of all Californians.
Dr. Ramos received her medical degree from the Keck University of Southern California School of Medicine and completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. She also holds a Master of Public Health degree from UCLA and a Master of Business Administration degree from UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business.
Over the past three decades, Dr. Ramos has provided reproductive care to thousands of Californians as an Obstetrician Gynecologist at Southern California Kaiser Permanente.
Dr. Ramos’ leadership spans from the local level in Los Angeles County where she previously served as the Director for Reproductive Health, State leadership as the prior chair for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist, California & Ecuador (IX) District, nationally on the Women’s Preventive Service Initiative, American Medical Association Foundation board, as a prior executive board member for the National Hispanic Medical Association, and many others. Prior to her appointment as the California Surgeon General, she served as the Assistant Deputy Director of Chronic Disease Prevention for the California Department of Public Health.
Within the academic sector, she serves as an adjunct Associate Professor at the Keck University of Southern California School of Medicine.
Dr. Ramos has written and contributed numerous articles to the obstetrics and gynecology and public health literature and has lectured in Spanish and English, locally, nationally, and internationally.
In 2024, the California Latino Legislative Caucus awarded Dr. Ramos with the Latino Spirit Ward for Achievement in Public Service and Health.
WHAT ARE HEMORRHOIDS AND WILL I GET THEM?
Dmitri Ezeuko, MD
Dr. Dmitri Ezeuko, is a certified personal trainer and Family Medicine trained Physician (specializing in lifestyle and obesity medicine) with over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry.
DO I NEED TO TAKE PRENATAL VITAMINS?
Irogue Igbinosa, MD
Irogue Igbinosa, MD, MS, is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine physician at Stanford University.
She is currently an NIH Women's Reproductive Health Scholar (K12), and her research focus includes iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy, severe maternal morbidity and mortality, and health equity.
She graduated from the University of Houston and earned her medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine. She subsequently completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency at Louisiana State University School of Medicine Baton Rouge. After residency, she was an AAMC-CDC Public Health Policy Fellow able to serve in the CDC Emergency Operations Center and contribute to research for healthcare providers regarding the management of the Zika virus in pregnant persons. She completed her Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship at Stanford in 2022.
Dr. Igbinosa is passionate about community-engaged approaches to bridge gaps in evidence-based care for birthing communities and collaborates with local and national policy committees to raise awareness for reproductive justice in maternal health. Her motto is to listen first and serve with compassion.
CAN I HAVE SEX DURING PREGNANCY?
Julie Nicole, MD - OB/GYN
Dr. Julie Nicole (she/her) is a board-certified gynecologist. Originally from Quebec City, Canada, Dr Nicole moved to the US in 1995 as a French Teacher before deciding to become a physician.
Dr. Julie Nicole (she/her) is a board-certified gynecologist. Originally from Quebec City, Canada, Dr Nicole moved to the US in 1995 as a French Teacher before deciding to become a physician. After working 8 years in private practice, she opened Fresno Inclusive with Dr Schmitz with the idea to build a patient centered clinic that would deliver equitable care in an environment where everyone is welcomed. In her free time Dr Nicole enjoys pottery and knitting. She is married to Drew Harbaugh, a critical care nurse and Regional Director for PFLAG (mid-pacific). Together, they have a lot of cats and two adult human children.
ARE UTIs NORMAL DURING PREGNANCY?
Kimberly D. Gregory, MD, MPH OB/GYN - Maternal Fetal Medicine
Kimberly Gregory, MD, MPH, Vice chair of Women's Healthcare Quality and Performance Improvement in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
She is the director and fellowship director of the division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, and is the second endowed chair holder of the Helping Hand of Los Angeles Miriam Jacobs Chair in Maternal Fetal Medicine. Gregory has been at Cedars-Sinai since 1992, when she was first recruited as a staff physician after completing her residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and medical school at Charles Drew/UCLA Medical Center. She earned her Master's in Public Health from Harvard and her fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at LAC-USC Medical Center. Her research interests include cesarean delivery, maternal morbidity and mortality, safety and quality of care in obstetrics, and developing patient reported outcome measures for evaluating maternal satisfaction with the childbirth experience. She has served on numerous regional and national advisory boards and committees including but not limited to American College Obstetricians & Gynecologist (ACOG), the United States Prevention Services Task Force (USPSTF), California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), National Institute of Health (NIH) Office for Research Women’s Health (ORWH), National Quality Forum (NQF), and the Institute of Medicine (IOM). She is currently serving as chair of ACOG Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) Advisory Board, and Southern California Maternal Mortality Review Committee.
IS WEIGHT LOSS NORMAL?
Sharon Kopacz, MD - OB/GYN
Sharon Kopacz, MD grew up in Fresno and moved back to her hometown in 2008 to join Fresno Women’s Medical Group. Dr. Kopacz received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UC Berkeley in 1994.
After moving to Europe, she attended medical school at her father’s Alma Mater, Jagiellonian University in beautiful Krakow, Poland, graduating in 2002.
Dr. Kopacz began residency in Queens, New York at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where she received the best resident teacher award. She completed her residency in New Brunswick, New Jersey at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in 2008. Dr. Kopacz is American Board Certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
