A study from community researchers partnering with Rutgers Health faculty and staff offers an in-depth look at the pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum experiences of women of color in New Jersey – finding both meaningful progress and continued inequities persist in the state’s maternal care.
Published in Behavioral Medicine , the study relied on a study team that included six Black mothers who interviewed 96 Black and Latina women throughout the state who had given birth within the past two years. The research is part of a broad evaluation of Nurture NJ , the state’s package of policies and programs enacted to improve maternal and infant health with a focus on equity.
“New Jersey has made significant policy investments to improve maternal health, particularly through initiatives like Nurture NJ,” said Leslie M. Kantor , chair of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health and lead author of the study. “This study helps us understand how these efforts are experienced by women of color, which highlights areas that need further investment.”
The research found that while prenatal care was largely accessible, barriers remained. While most participants reported being able to access care early in pregnancy and described positive interactions with providers, a subset of participants reported experiences of discrimination and stereotyping. Some participants expressed fear of being perceived as “difficult” if they raised any concerns with their health care providers.
“Our findings also highlighted that women actively sought clinicians who share their own racial and ethnic background, which helped participants feel safer and more respected,” said Kantor.
The researchers also found some women experienced financial strain because of co-payments, uncovered services and transportation costs despite having health insurance. Others described navigating confusing and impersonal health systems. There were geographic differences in the ability to access service throughout the state, which are further explored in a paper that is under review.
“Insurance alone does not eliminate barriers,” said Kantor. “Transposition, indirect costs and system navigation impact women’s prenatal experiences.”
Participants in the study overwhelmingly reported receiving strong support from family and friends. Many also benefited from community-based organizations, peer support groups and postpartum mental health services.
For example, women who worked with doulas described positive experiences. However, access to doula services varied widely. Some participants also reported receiving postpartum visits from nurses that conduct home visits as part of New Jersey’s universal home visiting program, Family Connects NJ .
The study’s community-based participatory research model involves community members who were trained to serve as researchers. They were involved in every aspect of the research, from determining appropriate data collection methods to designing, collecting and analyzing data, to authoring the resulting scientific papers. They have been working with Kantor since 2019 and have been involved in both the evaluation of Nurture NJ and a statewide evaluation of Centering Pregnancy , a group model of prenatal care.
New Jersey has undertaken more than 70 legislative and regulatory actions to address maternal and infant health disparities, including postpartum insurance coverage, doula support and universal nurse home visitation.
The researchers conclude that while prenatal access and social supports are strained in many areas, New Jersey state officials must continue to strengthen reproductive care practices, expand awareness of support services, diversify the prenatal health care workforce and address transportation barriers.
Behavioral Medicine
Survey
People
Women of Color’s Perinatal Experiences: New Insights from a Large Qualitative Study in New Jersey
16-Feb-2026
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).