Dr. Janell Green Smith, Midwife, Charleston, SC Demise: New Mother Passed Away Following Childbirth

 CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Charleston community along with the national midwifery field are grieving the sudden passing of Dr. Janell Green Smith, DNP, a cherished midwife who died shortly after assisting with the birth of her first child. Her demise on January 2 has sparked profound sorrow among the families she cared for, her fellow professionals, and the wider maternal health arena.

Affectionately regarded by many as “My Favorite Midwife,” Dr. Smith dedicated her life to facilitating the arrival of new babies. Throughout her career, she assisted in the births of over 200 infants, earning recognition for her outstanding clinical abilities, heartfelt compassion, and steadfast support for those giving birth. The reality that she passed away soon after a delivery adds a tragic irony and serves as a poignant reminder of the vulnerability of life—even for those committed to safeguarding it.

Operating out of Charleston, South Carolina, Dr. Smith was not only valued as a medical professional, but also as a trusted ally during pivotal moments in her patients' journeys. Both colleagues and families remember her as nurturing, intelligent, and relentless in her efforts to provide respectful, evidence-based, and fair maternal care. Many express that her departure creates an immense absence.

“The American College of Nurse-Midwives is saddened by the tragic loss of Dr. Janell Green Smith, CNM, who succumbed to childbirth complications,” the organization announced. “Dr. Smith was a renowned midwife, educator, and champion whose contributions demonstrated a strong dedication to respectful, evidence-based, and equitable healthcare.”

ACNM also highlighted the broader ramifications of her loss, emphasizing ongoing inequalities in maternal health results.

“The fact that a Black midwife and maternal health specialist died while giving birth in the United States is both heart-wrenching and intolerable,” the statement indicated. “Her passing highlights the well-established truth that Black women—regardless of their educational background, financial status, or professional qualifications—face elevated dangers during pregnancy and childbirth as a result of systemic racism and healthcare failings.”

The organization committed to honoring Dr. Smith’s legacy by intensifying efforts to combat racial inequities in maternal health and enhance accountability within healthcare systems.

Grow Midwives also expressed their sympathies, recalling Dr. Smith as both a pioneer and a beacon of motivation.

“Grow Midwives offers our heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr. Janell Smith Green, DNP, CNM,” the organization stated. “Her departure signifies a profound loss for those she left behind and continues to highlight the persistent crisis of maternal mortality affecting BIPOC families in the U.S.”

They also reminded that Dr. Smith was a recipient of a scholarship during Black History Month in 2021, emphasizing her dedication, mission, and vision for the future of midwifery.

Those who knew Dr. Smith recall her as an individual who fully embraced her vocation—someone who invested her knowledge, compassion, and advocacy into every birth she facilitated. As family, friends, patients, and colleagues mourn her passing, many affirm that her influence will live on in the lives she helped welcome into the world and in the ongoing struggle for safer and more equitable maternal care.