September 22, 2026 | 12:00pm Eastern

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Black women continue to experience disproportionate maternal health challenges, including higher rates of pregnancy-related complications, barriers to quality healthcare, and inequitable health outcomes. For women living with HIV or seeking HIV prevention services, these challenges may be further complicated by stigma, misinformation, and gaps in access to culturally responsive care.

This webinar will explore the intersection of Black maternal health and HIV through clinical expertise, lived experience, and community perspectives. Participants will learn about maternal health disparities, HIV prevention and treatment during pregnancy, and strategies for navigating healthcare systems and advocating for quality care. Through an engaging discussion, faculty will also examine the role of mental wellness, support systems, and community in promoting healthy pregnancies, positive birth outcomes, and overall well-being for Black women and their families.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Discuss maternal health disparities and factors that impact pregnancy and birth outcomes among Black women
• Describe considerations related to HIV prevention, treatment, and care before, during, and after pregnancy
• Identify strategies for navigating healthcare systems and advocating for equitable, culturally responsive maternal care
• Explore the role of mental wellness, community support, and resilience in promoting positive maternal health outcomes

Faculty

• Courtney Townsel, MD MSc, is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Maryland. She received her undergraduate degree at Howard University in Washington, DC before returning to her home state of Florida for medical school at the University of South Florida. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency at George Washington University. After completing her Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship and a Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Townsel has remained in academic medicine and is currently the Director of Perinatal Research at the University of Maryland. Dr. Townsel’s research interests include health disparities, substance use disorders in pregnancy, and translational research. Her current research centers on placental epigenetic regulation of fetal opioid exposure.
• Lynette Trawick is a writer, advocate, and community builder who uses her voice to empower women living with HIV. She is the Founder and Executive Director of I Am U, a nonprofit dedicated to creating safe, healing spaces for women impacted by HIV, intimate partner violence, and complex trauma. Lynette is also a behavioral counselor, wellness coach, trained birth doula, and the author of From Diagnosis to Destiny, a memoir sharing her journey of faith, resilience, and self-discovery. As a blogger for A Girl Like Me, she writes to help normalize HIV, break down stigma, and remind women everywhere that they are not alone in their journeys.
• Ciarra “Ci Ci” Brown is a dedicated advocate and the Director of Programs for The Well Project, a nonprofit organization serving women living with and vulnerable to an HIV diagnosis. As a Board-Certified Human Services Practitioner, she combines professional expertise with lived experience to champion inclusive, patient-centered care.