Black Birth Plan Template 1.0
For Medical Care Systems and Providers Serving Black Birthing Individuals
Intended Outcome (Your Baby):
Respectful treatment of Black birthing individuals in your care, as determined by Black birthing individuals, that lead to consistent safe and healthy birth outcomes.
Who Are You? (Relevant History)
- What is your organization/practice/department’s current and historical standing in the full breadth of the community you serve?
- What is your organization/practice/department currently doing to address racial disparities in birth outcomes?
➢ Is it visible to the community?
- Are your services accessible to Black birthing individuals regardless of income and/or Medicaid eligibility status?
Your Maternal Care Environment (What Type of Environment Do You Need to Have Your Intended Outcome)
- Who interacts with Black birthing individuals in your care... from front desk staff to clinicians?
- How many on your staff (doctors, midwives, nurses, administrative team, etc.) are Black?
➢ Are there any in key roles, including upper management or leadership in clinical care?
- What initiatives are in place to alleviate staff burnout?
- Are your physical and virtual care spaces safe, welcoming, and accessible to Black birthing individuals?
➢ Are Black individuals represented in your patient education materials, welcome packets and websites?
Your Prenatal Field of Care (Pain Management/Comfort Measures)
- What shifts has your organization/practice/department made in the care of Black birthing individuals as a result of research that shows medical professionals still under-treat pain in Black patients, particularly Black birthing individuals?
- What is your awareness of medical conditions in Black birthing individuals that are generally overlooked that lead to near misses and/or maternal or infant death?
- Is a cultural and anti-racist lens used when determining if a pregnancy is “at risk”?
- What are you doing to address preconceived notions, biases, and/or stereotypes regarding a Black birthing individual’s income, education, occupation, and marital status?
Your Labor and Delivery Field of Care
(Labor Delivery)
- What is in place to ensure black birthing individuals’ birth intentions are honored and respected during labor and delivery?
- What is the basis for recommending procedures that would advance labor progress beyond what could naturally occur?
➢ Is there a racial disparity in your organization’s induction rate?
➢ If so, what is driving the disparity? Is it hospital liability, OB/midwife schedule, or birthing individual’s desires/needs?
- How does your hospital c-section rate for black birthing individuals compare to the rate of other races? Do disparities exist? If so, how are you addressing it?
- When suggesting an elective induction, do you consider the values and preferences of the Black birthing individual?
Your Immediate Postpartum Field of Care
- Do your OB and Peds team uniformly promote immediate postpartum skin-to-skin when there are no clinical issues for the birthing individual and the baby for all families?
Your Postpartum Field of Care (Postpartum)
- Is your process of obtaining and following through on patient feedback effective?
➢ Do patients feel they were heard and their concerns were addressed?
➢ Do patients hear back from you after providing feedback?
➢ How often are patient complaints or concerns, or emerging trends regularly looked at and acted on?
- What quality protocols does your organization/practice/department have in place?
➢ Do you have a patient/client relations department or pathway for patient/client concerns? Is it easily accessed by your client/patients?
➢ Do you have a confidential anonymous way for students, faculty, trainees, patients, and staff, and all members of our community can report if they have experienced or witnessed marginalization and bias?
- What is the effectiveness of your quality assurance teams?
- Are you consistently reporting relevant data that leads to clearer assessment on what is happening with Black maternal health?
- What ongoing strategies do you have to address current and upcoming trends impacting maternal health, particularly Black birthing individuals?