The Swaddle Study: Advancing Black Maternal Health Through Community Collaboration
The Swaddle Study, led by Serwaa S. Omowale, PhD, LMSW, MPH, assistant professor in Management, Policy, and Community Health and Center for Health Equity (CHE) faculty, is a federally supported, groundbreaking community-based research project designed to address long-standing racial inequities in maternal and infant health outcomes among Black families in the U.S. Despite advances in medical care, Black mothers continue to face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality, morbidity, and postpartum depression1. The Swaddle Study seeks to change this reality through a population-specific intervention that pairs community-based doulas and social workers alongside Black families to provide support during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This innovative approach recognizes that both medical and social factors influence maternal health outcomes.
Developed using a community-based research approach in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Swaddle Study ensures that Black mothers, doulas, and social workers have a direct role in shaping each stage of the research process. Rather than relying solely on academic expertise, the project intentionally recruited community members with lived experience, including a Black mother who had received doula support, a community-based doula, a licensed clinical social worker, and community research scientists. These collaborators were trained in qualitative research methods, co-developed interview guides, and offered valuable insights to ensure the study remained culturally relevant and community-driven. All collaborators were compensated for their expertise, underscoring the project’s commitment to health and valuing community knowledge alongside academic credentials.
During its formative phase, the research team conducted 40 interviews with Black mothers, doulas, and social workers in both San Francisco Bay Area and Houston. These conversations explored how a paired doula and social worker model could best meet the needs of families. Feedback from community collaborators informed adjustments to recruitment materials and interview questions, such as avoiding language that might unintentionally exclude community-trained practitioners. The team’s collaborative process reflects a deliberate effort to make the research accessible and inclusive for the populations it serves.
The Swaddle Study draws on the principles of implementation science, a field focused on integrating evidence-based interventions into everyday practice. Using the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) framework, the first phase of the project concentrated on developing research protocols, building partnerships, and assessing interest in the intervention. Future phases will include an optimization trial to identify the most effective components before launching a pilot program.
Although it originally began in the San Francisco Bay Area, the project has expanded to Houston, replicating the community-engaged model and adding Community Research Members who assist with protocol development and adaptation to local contexts.
Supported by the California Preterm Birth Initiative at UCSF, The Lynne and Marc Benioff Foundation, and a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development T32 Training Grant, the Swaddle Study represents an important shift in maternal health research. The study’s community-grounded structure has strengthened its ability to foster trust, build capacity, and ensure long-term impact across cities. Omowale and her team have presented their findings at conferences in Barcelona, Pittsburgh and Toronto, contributing to the growing field of implementation science and maternal health equity. The Swaddle Study exemplifies how academic-community collaborations can lead to transformative change by centering Black women’s voices, compensating community expertise, and designing interventions in true collaboration with the communities they aim to serve.
Click here to read more about the Swaddle Study.
- Hoyert DL. Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2023. NCHS Health E-Stats. National Center for Health Statistics. Updated 2025. Accessed January 8, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2023/maternal-mortality-rates-2023.htm