Maternal Health Equity Begins Early

The Digital Health Equity Lab at Maternal Justice Collective brings the integration of technologies to address persistent maternal health disparities in the U.S., where Black and Indigenous women remain 2–3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes (CDC, 2023).

Through artificial intelligence (AI), we are developing predictive risk models that analyze clinical records, wearable data, and social determinants to flag women at risk for conditions like preeclampsia and preterm birth. Studies show AI models can achieve predictive accuracies up to 85% when incorporating social and behavioral factors (Liu et al., Digital Medicine, 2023), allowing for earlier interventions. Moreover, telemedicine can increase prenatal care attendance, lower no-show rates, and improve patient satisfaction, particularly in underserved populations (ACOG, 2021). Bringing culturally tailored telehealth platforms would ensure that women in rural and urban care deserts receive timely, expert care.

We are also building maternal health alert systems that track real-time patient data and trigger early warnings for providers. Such systems have been linked to 30–40% reductions in preventable severe maternal complications (ACOG, 2022). To protect sensitive data, we pilot blockchain-based patient records, offering secure, tamper-resistant storage that improves care coordination while safeguarding privacy.

We believe that, by combining AI, telehealth, real-time monitoring, and blockchain security, our digital health equity lab will create scalable, technology-driven solutions to ensure safer births for all women.

The Community Health & Advocacy Hubs are built to strengthen local access to high-quality maternal healthcare by addressing well-documented gaps in prenatal care utilization and maternal safety. In the U.S., late or inadequate prenatal care remains a significant contributor to adverse outcomes, with approximately 22% of women initiating care after the first trimester or receiving insufficient visits (CDC, 2023).

These hubs are essential to decentralize outreach centers providing early prenatal screenings, including blood pressure monitoring, diabetes screening, anemia testing, and ultrasound assessments. Evidence consistently shows that early identification and management of these conditions significantly reduces the risk of complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and hemorrhage (ACOG, 2022).

Educational services are also coring part of the hub and are integrated to promote patient engagement, adherence to care plans, and informed decision-making during pregnancy and postpartum. Studies confirm that structured prenatal education improves maternal self-efficacy, reduces anxiety, and contributes to better birth outcomes (BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2021).

Additionally, the hubs offer education on system navigation services, assisting patients in scheduling timely referrals and optimizing continuity of care, which are known factors that improve maternal health outcomes across diverse clinical populations (NIH, 2022).

The Maternal Equity Certification Program offers specialized training and certification for healthcare providers to strengthen maternal care quality and safety. The program focuses on clinical protocols, early risk detection, communication, and adherence to evidence-based maternal care guidelines (CDC, ACOG). Providers who demonstrate competence in applying standardized care practices and improving patient outcomes receive certification, promoting continuous professional development and accountability in maternal healthcare delivery.

The Policy & Digital Advocacy Platform uses data aggregation tools to identify patterns in maternal health system performance. Through secure, voluntary data submissions, providers and patients contribute information on care experiences and outcomes. The platform generates real-time dashboards highlighting trends in access, quality, and clinical outcomes, supporting evidence-based recommendations for system improvement. Educational toolkits assist healthcare professionals and community stakeholders in engaging with existing regulations, promoting alignment with national maternal safety initiatives. This data-driven approach supports transparent monitoring, policy refinement, and continuous quality improvement efforts across maternal health systems.

The Substandard & Falsified Medicines Initiative focuses on the emerging threat of falsified pharmaceuticals targeting women’s health, including contraceptives, fertility treatments, pregnancy-related medications, and reproductive oncology drugs. WHO estimates that 10% of medicines in low- and middle-income countries are substandard or falsified, with increasing infiltration into high-income markets via online pharmacies and unauthorized distributors (WHO, 2017; OECD-EUIPO, 2020).

Women seeking reproductive care online are particularly vulnerable to falsified hormone therapies and fertility drugs. This initiative integrates predictive analytics, provider education, and drug surveillance to enhance early detection and reporting. By analyzing behavioral risk factors, supply chain vulnerabilities, and digital marketplace data, we identify potential threats and strengthen clinical vigilance. Providers receive targeted training to recognize compromised products, while validated patient education tools promote safer medication sourcing. The initiative supports regulatory efforts to protect therapeutic integrity and safeguard maternal health.

The Women’s Reproductive Cancers & Menstrual Disorders Initiative focuses on improving early detection, treatment access, and patient support for reproductive system malignancies and complex menstrual disorders. In the U.S., gestational choriocarcinoma, a rare form of gestational trophoblastic disease, occurs in approximately 2–7 per 100,000 pregnancies. Though highly malignant, prompt chemotherapy leads to cure rates exceeding 90% (NCI, 2023). Our program emphasizes clinical provider training, patient navigation, and timely referral pathways to optimize outcomes.

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), affecting up to 30% of reproductive-aged women (ACOG, 2021), remains a leading cause of anemia, reduced quality of life, and delayed pregnancy risk assessment. The initiative supports provider education on standardized HMB diagnosis (PALM-COEIN), promotes digital self-screening tools, and integrates patient-centered education to encourage earlier clinical engagement and targeted management.