In a bold move to address the glaring disparities in maternal healthcare, journalist and author Elaine Welteroth has unveiled birthFund — a groundbreaking initiative aimed at revolutionizing access to midwifery care.
Midwifery is one of the oldest medical professions, however many people don’t know much about it or how to incorporate the practice into their birth plan. Elaine was among those people, having discovered midwifery in her third trimester. Incorporating midwives into the healthcare workforce could potentially avert 41 percent of maternal deaths, 39 percent of neonatal deaths, and 26 percent of stillbirths, according to the Commonwealth Fund.
“After a series of eye-opening encounters with the maternal health system and a life-changing home birth experience with the midwives at Kindred Space L.A., I committed myself to raising awareness about the urgent need to create more access to midwifery care by sharing my story and relentlessly advocating for policy change,” Elaine says.
Elaine’s vision for birthFund is a manifestation of collective action. On her birthday in December 2023, she set out to sponsor one woman’s birth journey. Elaine wanted to cover the costs of perinatal care and midwifery birth support for a family in Los Angeles, who would otherwise lack access to quality care. In a remarkable display of generosity, $16,000 was raised within 16 hours, providing funding for not just one, but two families in L.A.
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Inspired by this success, Elaine mobilized her network of friends, including Serena Williams, Kelly Rowland, and Ayesha Curry, to form an organization that is committed to replicating this support model for others in need. The average midwife costs between $7,000 to $15,000, according to Elaine. birthFund is scaling its community birth support model for immediate impact, with the help of funders and strategic corporate partners who pledge to match donations.
“We match individual funders with families in need of quality midwifery care and birth support across the country through an ‘each one reach one’ community care model,” Elaine explains. “Anyone can give. No amount is too small.”
“We’re done waiting for these systems to change,” she continues. “We’re stepping in where the systems won’t. Because it’s on us to save us. But we can’t do this work alone. Our potential collective impact is far greater than anything we could ever do on our own.”
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Central to birthFund’s mission is addressing the urgent crisis of Black maternal health in the United States. Black mothers face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, underscoring systemic inequities and disparities within the healthcare system. birthFund seeks to provide tangible support and resources to Black mothers, empowering them to navigate pregnancy and childbirth with dignity, respect, and access to quality midwifery care.
“This is more than a labor of love, it’s part of my calling,” Elaine says. “And I couldn’t be more excited to invite you to join me.”
In celebration of the launch of birthFund, Elaine will be joining the hosts of “The Mama’s Den” podcast on Monday, April 15. This episode promises to dive deeper into Elaine’s personal experience with midwifery, her journey in founding birthFund, and the urgent need for accessible maternal healthcare, particularly for Black mothers.
birthFund holds the promise of transforming the landscape of maternal healthcare, one birth journey at a time. Through collective action, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to equity and justice, the organization represents hope for Black mothers and families. Subscribe to Black Love’s “The Mama’s Den” podcast for more information.
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