New KDHRC Research Brief -Evaluating Monitoring and Outreach for Maternal Safety Postpartum: A Training Program for Community Health Workers

Maternal mortality in the U.S. is the highest among developed nations, and low-income mothers in the U.S. face the greatest risks. Over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths could be prevented with reasonable changes to patient, family, provider and/or community factors, emphasizing the urgent need for improved maternal health interventions.

To this end, KDHRC developed and evaluated the MOMS Postpartum course, which equips community health workers to provide outreach and support to mothers after birth. Community health workers provide lay health outreach and are embedded in many low-income communities as a trusted source of health information and support. We found that CHWs who completed the MOMSs training gained knowledge, confidence, and skills to better serve postpartum women, and reported high satisfaction with the program. These findings highlight the program’s promise for improving maternal health outcomes nationwide.

Read more about our findings in our latest Research Brief here: Evaluating Monitoring and Outreach for Maternal Safety Postpartum: A Training Program for Community Health Workers