Experts link dire outcomes for Black women to systemic racism, limited health care access, and chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. While data quantifies the crisis, many personal stories indicate that Black women are dying in childbirth because their voices are often ignored.
Black fathers are an untapped resource often overlooked when considering support systems for Black mothers during labor and delivery.
But with increased recognition, proper guidance, education about health care systems, and knowledge of what to ask medical staff, Black fathers can offer crucial support. Their understanding of the specific needs Black mothers face during pregnancy positions them to advocate effectively, provide reassurance, and navigate medical situations.
by David C. Miller, Ph.D., Fellow, Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy
In 1962, during a speech in Los Angeles, California, Malcolm X declared, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” These words remain urgent and relevant, especially when examining the persistent disparities in maternal health outcomes for Black mothers.
The ongoing crisis of Black maternal mortality in the U.S. is a result of systemic inequities. Addressing these disparities requires not only increased institutional accountability but also the mobilization of community-based and familial support systems for Black mothers. If white mothers were facing similar challenges during labor and delivery at such alarming rates, it’s likely there would be a national outcry among medical institutions and policymakers.
Instead, the maternal health crisis in the U.S. is one of the most urgent issues affecting Black women. The health disparities persist: Black mothers still die at higher rates than other groups, according to the National Institute of Health.
Understanding Maternal Health Disparities
Understanding why these disparities endure requires closer examination of the statistics and the systems that perpetuate them.
The overall U.S. maternal mortality rate is nearly 25 deaths per 100,000 live births, among the highest in developed nations. For Black mothers, it exceeds 55 per 100,000, with a risk triple that of white women. The CDC reports that over 80% of these deaths are preventable through early intervention and education.
To understand these disparities, it’s crucial to look beyond the numbers. Experts link dire outcomes for Black women to systemic racism, limited health care access, and chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. While data quantifies the crisis, many personal stories indicate that Black women are dying in childbirth because their voices are often ignored.
Urgent support systems are needed to address this crisis.
Support Black Mothers from Dads and Doulas
Doulas don’t deliver babies, but they have offered expert guidance and emotional support to mothers during labor for centuries. And over the last few decades, doulas supporting Black mothers have become more common due to their training in addressing pregnancy complications. As a result, community-based doulas are trusted and offer culturally specific, cost-effective support not only during childbirth but throughout a woman’s pregnancy. Doulas inform mothers about preeclampsia, encourage communication with doctors about blood pressure, and prompt questions about tests like gestational diabetes screening.
To help more Black mothers receive care, expanding access to these doulas and promoting their role is crucial. Organizations like the National Black Doulas Association, for example, provide directories of doulas, training for doulas, and best practices for the field.
Yet, despite these advances, another essential support system remains overlooked.
The role fathers play in supporting mothers is often missing from the maternal health conversation. Recognizing this gap, Dear Fathers launched “Dads to Doulas” in 2024.
The “Dads to Doulas” model helps Black men and expectant fathers gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to participate in the entire process — supporting their children’s mothers throughout pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and bringing new dimensions to maternal support.
Black Fathers Can Play a Critical Role in Maternal Health
Black fathers are an untapped resource often overlooked when considering support systems for Black mothers during labor and delivery.
But with increased recognition, proper guidance, education about health care systems, and knowledge of what to ask medical staff, Black fathers can offer crucial support to mothers. Their understanding of the specific needs Black mothers face during pregnancy positions them to advocate effectively, provide reassurance, and navigate medical situations. This perspective reframes the conversation to include the wider family context.
Black fathers play a key role by attending appointments, communicating with staff, supporting mothers emotionally, and staying informed on labor, delivery, and childcare. Their active participation can improve outcomes.
It’s essential to support fathers as they step into this role. Here are four actions that can help expectant fathers participate in maternal health:
- Fathers need to understand all aspects of labor and delivery, attend appointments, ask informed questions, and ensure that mothers’ concerns are heard by medical staff. Being well-informed as an expecting father empowers active support and advocacy for the mother.
- Fathers can work with their child’s mother during pregnancy to create a birthing plan. It is important to discuss the mother’s preferences for labor, delivery, and postpartum care, including pain management and mental health support as needed.
- Fathers should be aware of the mother’s medical history and complications. (It’s critical to have this information before labor.)
- Providing comfort and emotional support can ease a mother’s fears and reduce her stress in pregnancy and delivery. Fathers can reassure mothers during visits, help around the house, listen to concerns, and encourage open communication to minimize stress.
Now is the time for decisive, collective action to support Black mothers and families:
- Demand policies that expand access to community-based doulas.
- Support organizations exclusively dedicated to improving maternal health outcomes.
- Urge health care systems and policymakers to invest in education and resources for expectant fathers to ensure they can be strong advocates.
- Encourage every expectant Black father to fully engage in the birthing experience and to speak up for quality, equitable care.
The Research: Black Fathers and Maternal Health
Along with their colleagues, researchers from the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy (MIFRP) recently interviewed Black fathers and their children’s mothers to understand the support provided during the perinatal period. Their findings, which informed the insights in this post, are published in Child & Family Social Work: “Be There, Listen, See What It Is They Need: Fathers’ Roles in Supporting Black Mothers During Pregnancy.”
The research is part of MIFRP’s ongoing work to amplify the role of Black fathers in their families and communities and explore the systemic inequalities that create barriers to health, resilience, and prosperity of Black fathers and families.
David C. Miller, Ph.D. is a fellow with the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy, a community-based fatherhood practitioner, and author.
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SOURCE
Shears, J., L. N. Hopper, B. Sarah, et al. 2026. “ ‘Be There, Listen, See What It Is They Need’: Fathers’ Roles in Supporting Black Mothers During Pregnancy.” Child & Family Social Work 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.70179.
