Maternal Health Innovation

Black women have twice the rate of preterm birth compared to white women, and that has persisted despite decades of research, despite differences in socioeconomic status, maternal education, access to prenatal care. When you pair or look at a Black woman and a white woman who are pregnant, the Black woman will have their baby early at twice the rate of white women. Nurse midwife, mindfulness teacher, and adjunct professor Karen Sheffield-Abdullah is trying to figure out why.

Show Notes

Black women have twice the rate of preterm birth compared to white women, and that has persisted despite decades of research, despite differences in socioeconomic status, maternal education, access to prenatal care. When you pair or look at a Black woman and a white woman who are pregnant, the Black woman will have their baby early at twice the rate of white women. Nurse midwife, mindfulness teacher, and adjunct professor Karen Sheffield-Abdullah is trying to figure out why.

Today's episode is hosted by Dr. Kristin Tully, co-chair of the MHLIC Innovation Support Core, and researcher at UNC Chapel Hill.

Learn more about us, explore our resource center and find support for all maternal health professionals at MaternalHealthLearning.org.

Maternal Health Innovation is a product of the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center and is produced by Earfluence.

Music provided by Graham Makes.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U7CMC33636 State Maternal Health Innovation Support and Implementation Program Cooperative Agreement. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

What is Maternal Health Innovation?

We are the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center, a network of maternal health equity experts and organizations working to make real change for women and birthing people in the U.S.

Our podcast is a series of episodes connecting around culture, lifting voices and stories, exploring innovations in maternal care and discussing ways we can center equity in the way we approach our health and wellness.

Learn more about us, explore our resource center and find support for all maternal health professionals at MaternalHealthLearning.org.

For more podcast information and content, visit MaternalHealthPodcast.org.