Meet the single dad campaigning against racial prejudice in the U.S. maternal care system

Amber Rose Isaac and Bruce McIntyre III saw a promising future full of opportunities in the fall of 2019. McIntyre worked on Wall Street in New York, while Isaac was only a few credits away from completing her master’s degree. The highlight of the couple’s life together was the time they discovered they were expecting their first child.

However, the expectations of the couple tragically ended when 26-year-old Isaac felt extremely tired and dizzy throughout the COVID-19 lockdown in New York City. Despite her repeated complaints, her doctor only scheduled telehealth visits.

The couple later made the decision to seek prenatal care from a midwife, who found that Isaac had a condition in her blood platelet count that required urgent medical attention.

Sadly, Isaac passed away on April 20, 2020, while giving birth to the couple’s son, Elias, during an unplanned emergency cesarean section, leaving McIntyre a single parent.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black women have a three times higher risk of dying from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. This disparity is attributed to a number of factors, including “structural racism and implicit bias,” Black women’s access to high-quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, and other factors.

In an exclusive interview with BET, McIntyre shared that, the SaveARose Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to eradicating systemic problems with maternal care, was founded as a result of the “injustice” of how the healthcare system treated his wife, Isaac.

He now campaigns to get racial prejudice out of the maternal care system. With the help of Vice President, Kamala Harris, who tweeted her condolences following Isaac’s passing, he has testified before Congress in Washington, D.C. as a result of his activism.

McIntyre also speaks to medical students about the American Medical Association‘s documented systemic issue of racial bias in medicine.

He told BET, “I think the biggest accomplishment has been getting the statistics out concerning maternal mortality. So I think the advocacy work has been the biggest piece, making everyone aware, and of course, bringing equity to underserved areas, as well as bringing community collaborators together.”

He noted that, despite the fact that many people are aware of the problems, progress can occasionally seem to be stagnating.

In terms of results, McIntyre shared that he discussed sponsoring doulas with Mayor Eric Adams and has worked to establish a doulas program in New York City. He also mentioned that The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which Representative Lauren Underwood is attempting to have passed in Congress, is the largest piece of legislation that the organization is attempting to pass.

McIntyre has counseled other potential supportive fathers; encouraging them to keep an eye out and pay attention to the language being used, and how they are being spoken to. He also advised that men should make an argument on their partner’s behalf and ensure that she is heard.

Additionally, if their doctor isn’t returning their call, they should wait in front of the office for however long it is necessary to be seen. Oftentimes, many problems are dismissed, and their root causes are not addressed.

According to McIntyre, it’s crucial for Black women in America to seek a second or third opinion and speak with a midwife and a doula.