²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù

Black Maternal Health Week isÌýobservedÌýApril 11–17,ÌýaimingÌýto build awareness of the health issues that disproportionatelyÌýimpactÌýBlack women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the months after giving birth. At ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù, thisÌýis anÌýongoing focusÌýas we workÌýtoÌýimproveÌýmaternal and infant health outcomes through early identification of pregnancy,ÌýtimelyÌýaccess to care, andÌýtailoredÌýwhole‑person interventions that address medical, behavioral, and social needs across pregnancy and postpartum.Ìý

Maternal health is a critical public health issue, with profound implications for the well‑being of mothers, infants, and families.ÌýAccording to theÌý,ÌýBlack women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women.ÌýÌýAddressingÌýsuchÌýdisparities requires scale, sustained engagement, and accountability — areas where ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù is both deeply committed and uniquely positioned to make a difference.Ìý

Each year, ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù manages more than 330,000 deliveries, with approximately 90% occurring within our Medicaid population and more thanÌý30%ÌýconsideredÌýhigh risk.ÌýWith thisÌýreach,Ìý²»Á¼Ñо¿ËùÌýhas a responsibility toÌýhelp improve birth outcomes and support members before, during, and after pregnancy,ÌýincludingÌýclosing gaps that most often affect Black mothers and babies.Ìý

Why Do Black Mothers Continue to Face Higher Maternal Health Risks?Ìý

The CDC states that multipleÌýfactorsÌýcontributeÌýto these disparities,Ìýincluding:Ìý

• Variation in the quality of healthcareÌý

• Underlying chronic conditionsÌý

How Does ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù Identify Risk Earlier and Support Mothers Sooner?Ìý

AÌýkey wayÌýto support healthier pregnancies, moms,Ìýand babies is to start care as early as possible.ÌýEarly prenatal care supports healthy fetal development, and lowers the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant mortality.ÌýIt alsoÌýensuresÌýthatÌýany potentialÌýhealth issuesÌýa mother has, such asÌýhigh blood pressure, diabetes, infections, or depression,ÌýareÌýidentifiedÌýand managed early,Ìýbefore they become serious complications.ÌýÌý

²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù works toÌýidentifyÌýtheseÌýrisksÌýearly so pregnant members can get connected to theÌýrightÌýcare and support as soon as possible.ÌýThrough whole‑person care models like Start Smart for Your Baby® (SSFB), ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù uses data-driven insightsÌýand enhanced assessments toÌýidentifyÌýrisks early and connect members to appropriate medical care, behavioral health services, and community resources.Ìý

²»Á¼Ñо¿ËùÌýdoes this through anÌýadvancedÌýapproach to risk stratification. It allows support to be tailoredÌý

to each member’s needs, including:Ìý

• Clinical risk factorsÌý

• Behavioral health needsÌý

• DriversÌýof healthÌý

What is Start Smart for Your Baby® (SSFB)?Ìý

SSFBÌýis ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù’sÌýflagship maternal child health program,Ìýdesigned to improve outcomes by helping members get connected to care earlier, stay engaged throughout pregnancy, and receive support after delivery.Ìý

SSFB provides integrated care management, education, and coordination throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. Recent program enhancements include trimester‑based assessments that helpÌýidentifyÌýmember needs throughout the pregnancy,Ìýenabling more tailored support.Ìý

Members access support through theÌýÌýwhichÌýoffers accessible, evidence‑basedÌýpregnancy and postpartum care resourcesÌýand provideÌýtimely, reliable information, which can be especially helpful for mothers navigating barriers to care.Ìý

How Do Community‑Based Doula Strategies Support Maternal Care?Ìý

Community‑based doula strategiesÌýstrengthenÌýaccess and continuityÌýacross pregnancy and postpartum.ÌýThrough partnerships with trusted community organizations, doulas provide non‑clinical support that helps members navigate the healthcare system, prepare for birth, and stay engaged during the postpartum period. These strategies are designed to complement clinical care by building trust, reinforcing follow‑up, and helping address barriers that can disrupt care across the maternity journey.Ìý

How Is ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù Supporting Mothers and Babies Beyond Birth?Ìý

In 2026, ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù launched aÌýpilotÌýfor its First Years of Life (FYOL)Ìýprogram to strengthen continuity of care for both mothers and babiesÌýafter birth and throughout the postpartum period during the critical early years.ÌýFYOL aims to improve child health by:Ìý

• Promoting well‑child visitsÌý

• Offering transportation supportÌý

• Supporting early developmental screeningsÌýÌý

• Fostering positive parenting to reduce adverse childhoodÌýexperiencesÌý

FYOL is supported by care coordination and targeted outreach designed to help keep both mothers and babies connected to care during the postpartum period and early childhood.ÌýThe programÌýhelps identifyÌýand preventÌýgaps in care and deliver timely, appropriate interventions.Ìý

What Early Progress Is ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù SeeingÌýFromÌýThese Efforts?Ìý

Early indicators across maternal health initiativesÌýshowÌýimproved engagementÌýfrom pregnant membersÌýand continuity of care. InternalÌýanalyses of SSFBÌýalsoÌýshowÌýhigherÌýrates of prenatal and postpartum care among members who receive outreach or complete pregnancy assessments.Ìý

While many initiatives areÌýongoing,ÌýtheseÌýearlyÌýindicators suggest thatÌýidentifyingÌýneeds early and connecting members to community‑based support can help reduce gaps across the maternity journey. ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù is working to make doula partnerships consistent across markets byÌýestablishingÌýshared guidance and best practices. Together, these efforts reflect what we know matters most in maternal health:ÌýtimelyÌýengagement, trusted community connections, and sustained support before and after birth.Ìý

Improving maternal and infant health outcomes is a priority for ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù, with a focus on strengthening access to care and community‑based support to improve outcomes for families nationwide.Ìý