Exploring How the Experiences and Preferences of Birthing People Align with Maternal Health Policy Proposals

This project is designed to provide insights into whether proposed policies and investments in U.S. maternal health are in alignment with the experiences, preferences, and priorities of birthing people. The Urban Institute team will conduct 20 to 30 in-depth interviews with racially and ethnically diverse groups recruited from the more than 150 women with young children who have completed the December 2021 national Well-Being and Basic Needs survey and agreed to participate in a follow-up interview. In addition, the team will conduct eight to 10 focus groups, each comprising 10 to 12 individuals who are pregnant or recently postpartum. A diverse sample of birthing people will allow for an understanding of preferences by race, geography, and income. To achieve as full a representation as possible, three to four focus groups will be people of color, two will be white people, two will be residents of rural communities, and two will be people living below the federal poverty level. The team will partner with maternal health–focused community-based organizations to design and implement the research agenda for this project.