Stronger pregnancy and postpartum support to reduce maternal deaths among Black and Hispanic women
Enhancing Perinatal Care Support to Improve Maternal Mortality Disparities
This program pairs community doulas with hospital teams to provide in-person and telehealth support to uninsured and publicly insured Black and Hispanic pregnant and postpartum women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11083749 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be supported by a Community Doula Navigator who offers visits during pregnancy, labor, and after birth, and who helps coordinate your care with the medical team. The doulas will also help connect you to non-medical supports like transportation, housing resources, and benefits that affect health. The program is being offered at three hospitals in Chicago, Baton Rouge, and Newark that serve many Black and Hispanic families. Researchers will follow participants to see whether this coordinated doula model improves care coordination and reduces severe maternal complications and deaths.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Uninsured or publicly insured Black and Hispanic pregnant or recently postpartum women receiving care at the participating medical centers are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant or postpartum, not receiving care at the participating hospitals, or who are privately insured and outside the target population are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce severe maternal complications and deaths and improve postpartum care and support for Black and Hispanic women.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show doula support can improve birth outcomes and patient satisfaction, but embedding Community Doula Navigators into clinical care teams across multiple hospitals is a newer approach being tested here.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simon, Melissa a. — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Simon, Melissa a.
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 below.