IMPACT

The Power of Midwifery-led, Public Health-Rooted & Community-Centered Care

Real outcomes, born when public health, midewifery, and community move as one.

IMPACT

Birth Outcomes

When public health and midwifery partner with community, the standard for care transforms.

100%

Elimination of racism-based disparity in preterm birth

8 vs 14%

Preterm birth rate for Beloved births, nearly half the rate of standard care.

9 vs 15%

Low birth weight rate for Beloved births, well below standard care.

5 vs 12%

NICU admission rate for Beloved births, less than half of standard care.

Benefits for Mom

  • Beloved participants get more time with their care providers, more prenatal and postpartum visits, and a ton of complimentary wrap-around services to support their health holistically. They also feel more respected and empowered in their care.

  • With a Black care team committed to providing loving, community-centered care -- Beloved participants feel less racial bias, and a greater sense of trust and safety in their care.

  • Beloved participants share that they feel less stress in pregnancy, and really enjoy their group visits and the built in sisterhood and community.

  • Care in Beloved decreases symptoms of depression, and participants share that it supports their emotional and mental well-being.

Benefits for Babies

  • Being born too soon (preterm) or too small can have serious consequences for a baby’s health. Because of the impacts of racism, Black babies in the US have a higher risk of preterm birth (14.7% compared to 9.5% for white babies). The preterm birth rate for Beloved babies is just 8%. So getting care in Beloved completely eliminates this dangerous racism-based disparity, and gives your baby the strongest start to survice and thrive!

  • Beloved babies have a more than 50% lower chance of needing care in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).

Scale & Reach

Since our 2020 launch, our 2025 data shows that BBBC has grown steadily, serving hundreds of families and counting.

Families served and counting, in a model built to scale nationwide.

Group of families have moved through Beloved Birth Black Centering together.

Black babies born across the U.S. each year; this model is built for each of them.

Patient Experience

Families feel the difference. Independent surveys confirm what we hear every day.

  • BBBC patient satisfaction sits well above the healthcare industry average of 64. 

    • 86% report high autonomy in their care decision-making

    • 94% felt more empowered and in control of their care decisions

    • 84% felt less stress during pregnancy

    • 87% felt better able to advocate for themselves

    • 97% experienced less racial bias with their healthcare providers

    • 84% felt seen, heard, and understood during their care

    • 97% felt providers respectfully helped guide their care decisions

    • 94% felt able to hold their providers accountable to high-quality care

CALIFORNIA LOCALS

Expecting in Oakland or Alameda County?

Are you pregnant and interested in getting prenatal care in Beloved Birth Black Centering? Reach out to learn more and secure your spot in an upcoming group.

Call the enrollment coordinator at 
(510) 847-1893 and/or email at centering@alamedahealthsystem.org

  • “Beloved is SO good at making Black women feel empowered and knowledgeable in making decisions best for themselves, their baby, and the family! I also feel so seen and heard being in this program during such a huge change in my life!”

    —Former Patient

  • “Equipping mothers with knowledge on birthing techniques, what to expect with being a mom, and creating a safe space.”

    —Former Patient

  • “Everything: the bonds, the relationships, the amount of knowledge you obtain about yourself.”

    —Former Patient

  • “Providing a healthy, supportive village, and informative resource for Black pregnant mothers.”

    —Former Patient

  • “Providing basic things that moms need, such as postpartum food and a consistent midwife who knows you.”

    —Former Patient

  • “Sharing positivity, showing support and equipping mamas with the necessary skills and tools to navigate pregnancy and postpartum.”

    —Former Patient

  • “The support I didn’t have at home.”

    —Former Patient

  • “Very supportive of my health and wellness. Providing support, group activities and supplies for moms and baby. Overall a wonderful program. I’m so glad to experience and be a part of a community that looks like me.”

    —Former Patient

  • “Absolutely everything. A sisterhood. A community of moms who are experiencing the same things.”

    Description goes here

Mental Health

We’re promoting the safety needed to support the mental health of birthing people.

Repairing Trust

Fear, mistrust, and impersonal screening keep too many families from being open about symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Building Empathy

Racial concordance and shared vulnerability in group care build the trust that makes honest disclosure possible, creating more opportunities for support and treatment.

Promoting Mental Wellness 

Peer community, steady provider relationships, and material support help relieve stress and ease the weight of depression.

Better Depression Screening and Mental Health Support

In the United States, anxiety and depression are the most common childbirth complications, yet the depression screening rate hovers under 20%. At the same time, suicide has emerged as a leading cause of maternal mortality, and BIPOC people experience a greater burden of mood disorder symptoms and a fear of disclosure. Our approach to group care addresses this perinatal mental health crisis head on.

91%

Prenatal depression screening rate for Centering patients, versus 80% in standard care.

96%

Postpartum depression screening rate for Centering patients, versus 80% in standard care.

  • "There were times when I felt like I couldn't tell the truth about how I was feeling, because then I might be in danger because I'm a part of this hospital system. And are they going to call Child Protective Services?"

    —Former Patient

  • "It felt really good because Black women, Black maternal health, you're not always heard in the medical field. So to be around fellow women that look like me... it made me feel safe."

    —Former Patient

  • "You don't feel ashamed for speaking out about certain symptoms, like feeling guilty about having postpartum anxiety or depression, paranoia, or even anger... It feels like a sisterhood."

    —Former Patient

IMPACT REPORT

See our Impact Report from 2024

Learn more by reading our latest Impact Report

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

INVEST

Help Us Reach the 555,000

Every family we haven't reached yet is a family this model was built for. Partner with us or invest in the infrastructure it takes to close that gap.

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