I Brought You Into This World is a timely, urgent, and deeply human character-driven documentary that interweaves the lives of three pregnant Black women in the United States, each navigating vastly different circumstances. Rather than focusing on the death and suffering often highlighted in discussions around Black maternal health, this film centers on life, resilience, and the quiet yet profound act of survival. It sheds light on the urgent reality of the U.S. maternal health crisis and the ways in which healthcare access has become a political battleground. Through the lens of reproductive choice, bodily autonomy, and the life-threatening racism embedded in the medical system, this documentary insists on the act of thriving in the face of adversity—particularly in a post-Roe America.
While many films have tackled the grim statistics and systemic failures of maternal healthcare in the U.S., I Brought You Into This World offers something more intimate—a first-hand, lived experience. It follows the journeys of three women across different regions of the country, each facing unique medical histories, personal goals, and legal constraints that shape their pregnancies.
Synopsis
In the wake of escalating attacks on reproductive rights and the ongoing U.S. maternal health crisis, I Brought You Into This World offers a timely and powerful exploration of Black women's diverse pregnancy experiences across America. This character-driven documentary follows the journeys of three women, each navigating unique but interconnected challenges as they seek survival, dignity, and autonomy over their bodies.
In New York City, one woman, pregnant after years of infertility and medical trauma, finds solace in her own agency and access to lifesaving healthcare—a privilege she has learned to never take for granted. Meanwhile, in St. Louis, another woman, already a mother, bears the heavy grief of losing her brother, Mike Brown, whose death ignited the global Black Lives Matter movement. Pregnant again, she faces intergenerational trauma and domestic violence, all while contending with a state where miscarrying could endanger her safety. In the American South, a mother of two confronts the devastating consequences of restricted reproductive rights as she embarks on a dangerous journey across state lines, denied an abortion in her home state.
I Brought You Into This World goes beyond surface-level narratives to reveal the complexities of Black pregnancy, neither casting judgment nor moralizing any choice. Instead, it highlights the resilience of these women as they fight for agency and navigate a system stacked against them. The film is a compelling call to action, celebrating the power and diversity of Black motherhood while laying bare the urgent need for reproductive justice.
By supporting this film, you will be helping to amplify the voices of women whose stories are often unheard. I Brought You Into This World is more than a documentary—it’s a labor of labor to ensure that Black women’s experiences are seen, heard, and protected in a post-Roe America.
Director's Statement
I Brought You Into This World explores the urgent issues of pregnancy, childbirth, abortion access, and reproductive justice for Black people across the gender spectrum. It tells the stories of Black women and gender-diverse individuals navigating daily life shaped by generational trauma and systemic violence, while emphasizing their power, joy, and resistance.
My journey began with the 2014 uprising after the murder of Michael Brown, which led me to use film as a powerful tool for change. As a labor and delivery nurse, my personal and professional experiences uniquely position me to tell this story with sensitivity and care.
Since 2019, this project has evolved in response to the pandemic, the fall of Roe v. Wade, and threats to Black birthing rights. The film centers Black voices and experiences, portraying the complex realities of pregnancy without traditional experts, allowing those living the stories to narrate their own.
This documentary is not just a film—it's a call to action for reproductive justice, celebrating resilience and the dignity of Black lives.
- Brittany Ferrell, Director
