Healing Forward: Black Maternal Life, Collective Care, and the Public Health of Tomorrow

Abstract

Following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, state-level control over reproductive health policy has intensified, highlighting deep inequities in maternal health within the United States. In Shelby County, Memphis, Tennessee, non-Hispanic Black women experience pregnancy-related mortality at more than twice the rate of their non-Hispanic White counterparts, reflecting structural racism, medical mistrust, and uneven access to culturally responsive care (Citation). This project proposes a community-based intervention to improve maternal and postpartum health outcomes by expanding trained doula support and establishing ongoing postpartum support groups in Memphis, Tennessee.

The project will involve completing full-spectrum birth and postpartum doula training, followed by implementing free, bimonthly virtual postpartum support circles in partnership with Midsouth BIPOC Birthworkers, a nonprofit network of reproductive justice-focused Birthworkers. The intervention prioritizes culturally informed health education, peer-to-peer support, and nonbiomedical care models designed to increase trust, knowledge, and continuity of support for birthing families from underrepresented communities.

A brief evaluation will be used to measure program impact. A short survey will be provided to postpartum circle participants to identify areas of support needed from Birthworkers, which will be shared with the network for quality improvement purposes. Observational field notes will capture participants' experiences during post-partum circles to provide the organization with programming insights. Findings will be synthesized into a policy leave-behind document that translates program outcomes into actionable, evidence-informed recommendations for local public health departments and municipal and county decision-makers to support sustainable funding and integration of community-based doula and postpartum support services.