AMCHP, with collaboration from several partners, hosted a 4 part webinar series that explores the unique power of the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant to support anti-racist strategies and intentionally address the roots of racial injustice in maternal and infant health, including the prevention of preterm birth.



Language: English
Year Created: 2020
Topic Tags: Equity & Anti-Racism Maternal & Infant Health Title V
File Type: Video
Resource Type: Webinar

AMCHP, with collaboration from several partners, hosted a 4 part webinar series that explores the unique power of the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant to support anti-racist strategies and intentionally address the roots of racial injustice in maternal and infant health, including the prevention of preterm birth. Learn more about Healthy Beginnings with Title V.

The four webinars can be found below: 

Definitions and Trends in Preterm Birth

Emerging Research in Preterm Birth

Opportunities in Qualitative and Quantative Research

Prioritizing Action in Preterm Birth

Emerging Research in Preterm Birth

​In this webinar titled “Racism as a Root Cause for Preterm Birth: Considerations for Achieving Reproductive Health Equity” Dr. Monica McLemore from the University of California-San Francisco Preterm Birth Initiative (UCSF PTBi) discusses research findings elucidating the root causes of preterm birth. This session focuses on the necessity of digging deeper to explore the disproportionate distribution of risk factors across communities and social and cultural contexts. Dr. McLemore discusses research about toxic stress and resilience.

In this webinar, participants:

  • Gain a deeper understanding of the existing and ongoing research about the causes for and impacts of toxic stress and resilience on preterm birth
  • Engage in a discussion about the typical approach to researching preterm birth and the need to explore root causes

This webinar took place on February 4, 2020. There were technical difficulties in the recording of this webinar and video is not available. Individuals can listen to the audio while viewing the slide deck.

Opportunities in Qualitative and Quantitative Data

This webinar brings together Alexis Cobbins, Associate Director of the California Preterm Birth Initiative and AMCHP’s Associate Director of Epidemiology and Evaluation, Dr. Cheryl Clark. Ms. Cobbins presents the Research Prioritization by Affected Communities (RPAC) Protocol and discusses the necessity of qualitative approaches, including being led by the wisdom of individuals with lived experience in efforts to understand preterm birth and prioritize action for intervention. Dr. Clark provides supplemental information on assessing existing data sources for inclusion and relevancy, explores new data sources or data elements, and discusses the importance of having input into how and what is being collected and by whom.

In this webinar, participants:

  • Explore the necessity of qualitative approaches related to preterm birth and understand one protocol for engaging individuals with lived experience that centers affected communities in research design
  • Think creatively about the limits and possibilities of existing data sources
  • Recognize the importance of providing input into the design of data collection systems/processes, data utilization, and data translation/communications.

This webinar took place on February 20, 2020.

Prioritizing Action in Preterm Birth

This webinar brings together Aza Nedhari, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Mamatoto Village, Jennie Joseph, Founder and Executive Director of Commonsense Childbirth, and Jeretha McKinley, Interim Executive Director of HealthConnect One. Ms. Nedhari, Ms. Joseph, and Ms. McKinley present on their organization’s unique community-based programs and their approach to maternal and infant wellness and preterm birth prevention. They also make recommendations for Title V programs who want to take action to change the systems that perpetuate inequities in preterm birth that disproportionately affect Black women in America.

In this webinar, participants:

  • Increase knowledge of key community-based programs and efforts tackling racial disparities in birth outcomes through equitable approaches
  • Identify actions Title V programs can take to support community-based organizations best positioned to address the inequities in our systems that produce racial disparities in preterm birth and other birth outcomes

This webinar took place on May 19, 2020.