Black Maternal Health Week 2024

4 Ways Employers Can Help Improve Birth Outcomes for Black Mothers

Racial disparities affect all aspects of the family-building journey. Black women are three times more likely to die in childbirth​, 36% more likely to have a C-section and most likely to experience pregnancy complications due to inequities, bias, racism, and access to care. Here are four ways employers can help:

1. Consider what is covered by your medical plan, all of the following resources can help Black mothers achieve better outcomes:

   1. Doulas - Doulas support mothers by providing continuous physical, emotional, and informational guidance throughout pregnancy, labor, and childbirth, which has been shown to reduce the risk of interventions and improve birth satisfaction and outcomes.

   2. Midwives​ - Midwives assist with clinical care management throughout the pregnancy and post-partum journey including monitoring the mother and fetus during labor, assessing labor progress, managing complications, and assisting with pain management.

   3. Birthing Centers​ - Birthing centers offer mothers a culturally sensitive and supportive environment for childbirth, often incorporating personalized care, community resources, and midwifery-led models, leading to lower rates of interventions and improved birth experiences and outcomes.

   4. Enhanced breast pumps/supplies - Enhancing breast pumps/supplies coverage ensures mothers have the necessary resources to initiate and maintain breastfeeding, which has been linked to reduced risks of infant mortality, infections, and chronic diseases.

2. Provide ways for Black mothers to build community:

   1. Employee Resource Groups - provide mothers with a supportive network, resources, and advocacy within the workplace, which reduces stress and increases access to maternity benefits and accommodations.

   2. Education - equip mothers with knowledge about their healthcare options, rights, and resources, fostering empowerment and enabling to make informed decisions.

3. Review the data you track: Do you know how outcomes vary by race or ethnic group? This enables targeted interventions and policies to address disparities, leading to improved access to culturally competent care, reduced maternal mortality rates, and better health outcomes for Black mothers.

4. Implement a program like BenefitBump that expands your current benefits ecosystem to encompass both employer and employee needs and resources with a high-touch personalized model:

   1. Eliminate fragmentation and provide expert, 1:1 guidance throughout the employee’s parenthood journey from planning to caring for children.

   2. Connect employees to doulas and midwives.

   3. Increase advocacy by providing customized resources and education for the path, stage and phase of their journey.

For more ways you can support Black mothers in their family building journey, refer to our panel discussion on Black Maternal Health and register for our upcoming webinar on Improving Maternal Birth Outcomes.