Media Pitch

From: Juliana Berkowitz

To Sarah Kliff, The New York Times

Subject:  Story Idea: Black Mothers and their Birth Sisters 

Dear Sarah,

Regardless of financial standing, Black women are three times more likely to experience death from delivery. Your recent story on the racial health disparities, among Black mothers and their babies emphasized a key issue in healthcare. Mass General Brigham has a Birth Partner’s pilot program that aims to address this problem head-on at no cost to patients. 

I would like to propose a follow-up story to your recent piece on the childbirth outcomes of Black mothers and their babies. This article could feature Mass General Brigham’s Birth Partners pilot program. The Birth Partners program strives for equitable birth outcomes in Black and Indigenous people by:

• Pairing a doula with a mother of a similar background/culture to aid in the birth process. 

• Covering the cost of doula care, which is traditionally not covered by insurance and can cost up to $2500.

• Offering 360-degree support for mothers, covering emotional and physical needs, and acting as a bridge to translate patient needs to the doctor.

If interested, I can connect you with mothers and doulas in the Birth Partners program for first-hand accounts. I have linked the program details below. Please let me know if you have any questions. I will follow up with you this week to discuss moving forward. 

Thank you for your consideration,

Juliana Berkowitz

jmberk@bu.edu

Mass General Brigham

732-759-4566