Beyond Clinical Walls
Season 2 • Episode 17
Eight Minutes From Birth: Sent Home in Labor
Jan 16, 2026
42:14
Episode Description
Eight minutes after being sent home from the hospital, Mercedes Wells gave birth in her truck.
In this episode of Beyond Clinical Walls, Dr. Bayo talks with Mercedes and Leon Wells about medical dismissal during labor, bias in maternal healthcare, and the ongoing maternal health crisis in the United States. Dr. Bayo also shares her own near-fatal postpartum experience and explains what should happen when someone arrives at the hospital in labor during childbirth.
⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses medical dismissal and birth trauma.
Resources & Contacts:
IRTH App
The Wells Act
Facebook: Leon Wells
Instagram: mercedesswells
Facebook: Mercedes Sheri Wells
TikTok: @mercedesswells

