Building trust and partnerships to improve pregnancy outcomes for Black women
Official title: Building TrUst and UNiting Teams Through DouLa partnErship-BUNDLE
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11399907 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large, community-based program in Milwaukee partners with doulas to build trust between Black birthing families and the healthcare system.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,287,612 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113408-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399907 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant Black/AA women in Southeastern Wisconsin, especially Milwaukee County, who may benefit from enhanced prenatal support and advocacy.
✕Less likely to help
Women outside the target community or those not engaging with the doula support model may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project creates collaborations between a major medical center and a community doula group to support Black/AA pregnant women in Southeastern Wisconsin. It uses a two-arm randomized design to test approaches that foster trust, improve access to care, and support mothers through delivery and postpartum periods. The work centers on real patients and aims to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity by addressing mistrust and barriers in the prenatal healthcare system.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce pregnancy-related complications and deaths for Black women by improving trust and access to quality care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies suggest that community doula models can improve maternal satisfaction and certain health outcomes, though this specific trust-building approach is being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Olson, Jessica M — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Olson, Jessica M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.