Supporting Black Mothers' Heart Health During Pregnancy

This trial is testing two different approaches to help Black pregnant women protect their heart health during and after pregnancy. Both approaches include text messages about nutrition and exercise, home blood pressure monitoring, and training for doctors to provide respectful, bias-free care. One approach adds extra support from community doulas, mental health counselors, and lactation specialists who are also Black women.

Heart disease is the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the United States, and Black women die from pregnancy-related heart problems at three times the rate of white women. While eating healthy and monitoring blood pressure help, researchers have learned that addressing mental health, loneliness, and the stress of experiencing racism are equally important — but few programs treat all of these together.