At a time when the United States continues to face alarming disparities in maternal outcomes, a new book by retired obstetrician-gynecologist W. James Lett, M.D., FACOG offers something rarely seen in this conversation: a field-tested, step-by-step method that worked in real life.
In Can We Solve Black Maternal Mortality Crisis — Yes “WE” Can, Dr. Lett draws from a 46-year career across Army hospitals, community hospitals, Indian Health Service facilities, and teaching institutions to share how he and his patients achieved an extraordinary outcome: more than 8,500 deliveries with no maternal deaths.
Unlike most books on the topic—which focus on policy, research, or social commentary—Dr. Lett’s work reads as a practical survival guide for pregnant women and their support systems. It teaches readers, in plain language, how pregnancy changes the body, how complications develop, how to recognize life-threatening symptoms early, and how specific dietary and behavioral changes can dramatically reduce risk.
“This book is not written for obstetricians,” Dr. Lett writes. “It is written for ordinary people so they can be part of solving the Black Maternal Mortality Crisis.”
A Voice from Inside the System
Dr. Lett’s credibility is not theoretical. He was the first African American OB-GYN resident at Brooke Army Medical Center, later became Chief of Obstetrics at multiple hospitals, and was instrumental in developing OB departments and labor units during a career spent navigating the realities of institutional healthcare from the inside.
That lived experience gives the book unusual authority. Dr. Lett does not simply describe systemic problems—he explains how mothers and families can survive within those systems through knowledge, preparation, and advocacy.
More Than a Medical Book
The book uniquely bridges:
- African cultural traditions of communal pregnancy care,
- the historical loss of those protective systems,
- Modern hospital realities, and
- A practical, repeatable protocol centered on nutrition, weight management, early symptom recognition, and partner involvement.
A standout feature is an extensive, easy-to-understand checklist of warning signs that pregnant women and their loved ones can use to recognize danger before it becomes fatal.
A Different Kind of Message
Rather than portraying expectant mothers as passive victims of circumstance, Dr. Lett emphasizes a recurring theme throughout the book: “WE.”
The mother, her partner, her support system, and her physician are active participants in safeguarding her life.
This message of empowerment—grounded in decades of bedside experience—sets the book apart in a crowded field of maternal health literature.
Why This Book Matters Now
As conversations around maternal health continue nationally, Can We Solve Black Maternal Mortality Crisis — Yes “WE” Can arrives with a simple but powerful premise:
Black maternal deaths are not inevitable. Many are preventable when mothers are educated, supported, and equipped with the right knowledge.
For families, doulas, community advocates, and healthcare professionals alike, this book offers both insight and actionable guidance.
About the Author
W. James Lett, M.D., FACOG, is a retired obstetrician-gynecologist with more than four decades of clinical experience. A trailblazer in multiple hospital systems, Dr. Lett spent his career delivering babies, building departments, mentoring physicians, and caring for diverse communities across the United States.
Availability
Can We Solve Black Maternal Mortality Crisis — Yes “WE” Can is available in paperback, hardcover, and eBook formats.
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