Over the years, Serena Williams has gone through a lot but nothing was as terrifying as the year 2017. During that year, the American tennis legend gave birth to her first child, Olympia. Although it was a surreal moment for her and her family, it was later revealed that Williams had difficulties in her pregnancy, so much so that it even went to a point of being life-threatening. As a result, Williams has launched a new initiative to prevent such cases and scenarios.

Along with being a stalwart on the court, the 23-time Grand Slam champion is also involved in numerous initiatives. On this occasion, she had a partner who underwent a similar situation as Williams.

Serena Williams joins a new initiative to help pregnant mothers

A renowned journalist, Elaine Welteroth, launched a birthday fundraiser named birthFUND on Instagram in 2023. This move focused on maternal health, aiming to provide pregnant mothers with the best of facilities. Like Williams, Welteroth too experienced difficulties during pregnancy, which was one of the reasons behind the movement’s launch.

While the movement raised nearly $16,000 initially, many high-profile names joined this initiative. Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, were among those who supported this movement. Their support helped birthFUND grow and expand access to midwifery care for families in the US who couldn’t afford to pay the hefty costs.

In a recent article in TIME, Welteroth narrated how there were growing cases of difficulties for mothers during pregnancies. She revealed a mind-boggling fact that showed how crucial this fundraiser was to changing the narrative.

Renowned journalist denotes a sorry state of pregnancy difficulties

Goosebumps were raised when Welteroth narrated that more than 3,400 mothers died during or after childbirth in the U.S. between Serena’s first birth experience and hers. While Williams gave birth to her first daughter in 2017, Welteroth became a first-time mother in 2022. Thus, this horrifying figure had taken over for around five years.

She later went on to reveal, “That’s 3,400 prayers never whispered into tiny ears—3,400 parents who won’t be able to watch their beautiful babies grow up. This should not be the norm in the country with the largest economy in the world.”

Thus, the latest initiative by Williams and Welteroth is crucial, given the circumstances and it could act as a boon for pregnant mothers. You too can be a part of this movement and invest in a noble cause through birthFUND’s official website.