The Giving Voice to Mothers Study
Inequity and mistreatment during pregnancy and childbirth in the United States
Families of color experience high rates of mistreatment by health care providers during birth, finds this first-ever look at the birth experiences of people of color and the first ever community led study on experience of childbirth care in the United States.
Overall, one in six women - regardless of race - experience mistreatment by health care providers during birth.
Top experiences of mistreatment included verbal abuse, stigma and discrimination, and delays and refusals in care.
Delays and refusals are particularly significant given that Black birthing people and their babies have the highest rates of death from pregnancy-related complications.
Indigenous women were the most likely to report experiencing at least one form of mistreatment by health-care providers, closely followed by Hispanic/Latinx and Black women.
This article is based on the Giving Voice to Mothers Report. To learn more or be kept up-to-date, please visit here.
Press Release
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Find media contact information and the press release here.
Full Article
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Find the full, open-source article from Reproductive Health.
Voices of Birthing Families
Help #endbirthmistreatment. Share the facts today.
New! Impact of place of birth on mistreatment
How does place of birth impact mistreatment? Do families that transfer to the hospital after a planned home birth experience different rates of mistreatment than planned hospital births?
Learn more in these new fact sheets.
Media Coverage:
Community Partners
The Steering Council included several community partners. The Birth Place Lab team was honored to work with them throughout the entire project. We are indebted to them and their communities for their leadership and participation.








