Serena Williams is urging women to listen to their body and advocate for themselves.

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Black women have long sounded the alarm about being overlooked, misdiagnosed, and ignored in healthcare — often with devastating consequences. Now, voices like Serena Williams are amplifying that message, urging women to trust their bodies and advocate for their care.

Disparities in healthcare lean heavily against Black women, who are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Contributing factors include chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, systemic racism, implicit bias, and limited access to quality prenatal and postpartum care.

That’s why the 4x Olympic gold medalist is speaking truth to power. After a traumatic C-section birth in 2017, Williams experienced severe complications — including a pulmonary embolism and blood clots — risks that are significantly higher in cesarean deliveries, especially for Black women.

“Your body is always talking to you. Listen to it. Trust it,” Williams told PEOPLE. Despite her first-hand experience and status, even Williams struggled to be heard when something felt wrong.

“I’ve spent my whole life learning about my body, on the court, through pregnancy, through recovery. I’ve had to fight to be heard, even when I knew something was wrong,” she revealed. “Even with everything I know about my body, I’ve had moments where I didn’t feel right and couldn’t get answers. We deserve better.”
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Williams is now passing those lessons on to her daughters, Alexis Olympia and Adira. “We talk about movement, rest, and how our bodies feel — not how they look. Health isn’t one size fits all, and I want them to feel empowered to listen to themselves,” the 43-year-old said.

Black women in the U.S. healthcare system face a complex web of disparities. More than 50,000 Black women die every year from cardiovascular diseases, being 50% more likely to have high blood pressure compared to 20% of white women– a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Additionally, Black women are twice as likely to develop diabetes after age 55 compared to white women, and are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women, despite similar diagnosis rates.

Thanks to reported bias in pain management, lack of access, and underrepresentation in research, Black women’s plight with their health and wellness are deeply interwoven with systemic racism and historical injustices.

“I want to help normalize listening to your body,” Serena Williams added. “Ask what something means, why it matters, what it’s doing to your body. Whether it’s your doctor or a product label, don’t be afraid to ask. That’s how you stay in control.”