Maternal Health Innovation

Hosted ByMHLIC Team

Join us as we speak with experts about ways we can better serve women and birthing people and advance maternal health equity. From what is going well to what needs to be done to improve our health outcomes, we will share innovative work, new strategies, and impactful stories from people who are changing birthing care for families in our country.

Join us as we speak with experts about ways we can better serve women and birthing people and advance maternal health equity. From what is going well to what needs to be done to improve our health outcomes, we will share innovative work, new strategies, and impactful stories from people who are changing birthing care for families in our country.

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.


All Episodes

Facing maternal mortality rates, mental health in pregnancy, and more

RMOMS is a federally funded grant program that seeks to improve maternal health in rural communities. The Texas and Missouri RMOMS representatives with us today that you’ll hear from...

8. What tribal nations’ ancestral knowledge teaches us about maternal health

For true innovation in maternal health to occur, we need to take a look at what works (and what needs improving) with maternal health in various cultures. On this...

7. Is Midwifery a Right or a Privilege?

Vanessa Caldari founded Mujeres Ayudando Madres because she I realized that midwifery care, especially in Puerto Rico, was really for people with access to the finances and the education to have...

6. How a hotline is transforming breastfeeding culture and access to care in Appalachia

In the Appalachian region, poverty is a huge concern. Too often, pregnant women miss appointments because they don’t have the money for gas. Or they’ll have a baby on...

5. The Stress of Being Black and Pregnant, with Karen Sheffield-Abdullah

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...

4. The fight for lactation rights, with Stevie Merino and To-wen Tseng

Eight years ago, when To-wen Tseng returned to work after giving birth to her first child, her right to pump at work was denied and the company refused to...

3. Advocating for Moms Who Don’t Have Resources, with Shaunette Howard

The sad reality is that people in rural communities don’t have as many resources to healthcare, and that includes adequate prenatal and maternity care. For Shaunette Howard, her biggest...

2. Spotlighting Inequities and Disparities in Maternal Health, with Dr. Rachel Caskey

According to today’s guest, Dr. Rachel Caskey, “stark disparities exist whereby Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related condition compared to white women....

1. Doulas are Magic, with LaToshia Rouse (Birth Sisters Doula Services)

For Birth Sisters Doula Services‘ LaToshia Rouse, becoming a doula changed her entire life because she gets to give people exactly what she wishes she had while delivering her...