Improving prenatal and childbirth care for American Indian and low-income women in the Northern Plains
Official title: Strengthening perinatal healthcare utilization and quality of care for Indigenous and low socioeconomic status women through systems change: integrating person, provider, and policy perspectives.
Funded at Avera Mckennan · NIH-11136340 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find practical changes in care, provider practices, and policy to help American Indian and low-income pregnant women get better prenatal and childbirth care in the Northern Plains.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Avera Mckennan NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Sioux Falls, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $489,748 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113179-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136340 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are American Indian women and low-income pregnant or recently pregnant women in the Northern Plains region, plus local community members and healthcare providers involved in perinatal care.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not in the Northern Plains region or who are outside the targeted demographic groups are unlikely to see direct benefits from this project.
What this research studies
You would see the team working directly with community members, health providers, and local leaders to map the barriers and supports that affect prenatal and childbirth care. They will build a community-based system dynamics computer model that uses local data, interviews, and feedback to show how changes at the patient, clinic, and policy levels affect care use and quality. The project centers cultural strengths and addresses structural and systemic racism to make recommendations that fit the needs and context of American Indian communities. Results will point to specific, actionable strategies clinics and policymakers can take to improve care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify practical, locally appropriate changes that increase access to quality perinatal care and reduce pregnancy-related complications for American Indian and low-income women.
How similar studies have gone: Some community-led prenatal care programs have improved access and outcomes, but using community-based system dynamics modeling to prioritize strategies in this population is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Avera Mckennan
Sioux Falls, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deutsch, Arielle R. — Avera Mckennan
- Study coordinator: Deutsch, Arielle R.
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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.