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Antenatal CommuNity Engagement to Reduce Maternal Inequities from Anemia in Pregnancy (ANEMIA)

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We are seeking participants for interviews!

Read the flyer to learn more here.​

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO DEVELOP A PATIENT CENTERED APPROACH TO ANEMIA IN PREGNANCY 

​BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center (BWPC) is partnering with Stanford University on research to address racial disparities in maternal health outcomes, specifically severe maternal complications from anemia and hemorrhage. This work is part of Stanford’s role as a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Maternal Health Research Center of Excellence under the IMPROVE initiative.  ​ Stanford’s PRIHSM (Preventing Inequities in Hemorrhage-related Severe Maternal Morbidity) Center received NIH funding for seven years, with BWPC serving as a Community Co-Investigator. As part of this partnership, BWPC was awarded over half a million dollars to help create an Anemia Prevention Toolkit (APT)—a vital resource designed to reduce iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and its disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx birthing individuals.  This partnership builds on prior work between BWPC and Stanford, combining academic knowledge with community input to create solutions that are practical, patient-focused, and respectful of different cultures.

MEET OUR TEAM

Anemia Community Leadership Group (ACLG)

RESEARCH TEAM

PHASE 1

In 2021, the collaborators started working on a research titled Antenatal Community Engagement to reduce Maternal Inequities from Anemia in Pregnancy (A.N.E.M.I.A).  As a part of that research, BWPC and Stanford launched the Anemia Community Leadership Group (ACLG), a diverse team of community advocates, birth workers, and institutional representation from partners like WIC and the Black Infant Health Program. 

ACLG Community Voices 2021/2022:  

  • Jacq Tate, QTBIPOC advocate 

  • Malaika Livers, community advocate 

  • Qierra Richardson, birth worker 

  • Tiara Munoz, community health educator 

  • Antoinette Kohlmeister-Torres, health care professional  

  • Anastasia Lester, equity & early childhood professional 

  • Desiree Miller, birth justice advocate 

Key accomplishments from Phase 1 include: 

ACLG: We established the framework of ACLG Data collection: Nine sessions / interviews with 15 participants to explore experiences with anemia during pregnancy, including challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and care. Identifying Barriers: Gathered patient-centered insights on gaps in care and treatment. Highlighting Successes: Share and uplift positive care experiences to guide future education and intervention strategies. This work deepened understanding of how IDA affects underserved communities and laid the foundation for creating practical, patient-centered resources to improve care.

PHASE 2

Building on the insights from Phase 1, BWPC is co-developing the Anemia Prevention Toolkit (APT) with Stanford’s PRIHSM Center. This toolkit will integrate evidence-based practices with the lived experiences of Black and Latine birthing individuals, aiming to reduce racial disparities in anemia-related complications such as postpartum hemorrhage, preterm birth, and low birthweight. In the first part of the research, BWPC leads the ACLG Working Group’s convenings and focus group/ interview participant recruitment. 

ACLG Community Voices 2021/2022:  

  • ​Anastasia Lester 

  • Breyonna Gaines-Barrett 

  • Dymon Haynes 

  • Jacq Tate 

  • Tania L Pacheco 

  • Ta-She-Ra Manning 

  • Sharee Wilburn 

The ACLG’s Role in Phase 2: 

The ACLG ensures the toolkit meets the needs of the communities most affected by IDA. Members: 

  • Share lived experiences to inform the toolkit’s design. 

  • Review and provide feedback on study materials and approaches. 

  • Identify and recruit participants with firsthand knowledge of anemia during pregnancy. 

  • Guide the creation of culturally tailored educational and outreach materials. 

  • Participate in monthly project meetings. 

Their involvement ensures the project remains patient- and community-driven, centering the voices of those disproportionately impacted by anemia. This partnership exemplifies how community-driven research can transform maternal health outcomes. By prioritizing the lived experiences of Black and Latinx birthing individuals, BWPC and Stanford are working to eliminate disparities, improve care, and save lives—bringing us closer to equitable, patient-centered maternal health.

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