About NBEC

The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) is a nationally recognized organization on the front lines of the Black maternal health & infant mortality crises working to produce better birthing outcomes for Black mamas, birthing people & infants. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG, NBEC was created to combat the increasing rates of infant mortality & maternal mortality within Black, Brown & Indigenous communities.

The Uneven Burden of Maternal Mortality

In comparison to other high-income countries, the U.S. has the highest maternal & infant mortality rates despite the most healthcare spending, & most of these deaths are preventable.

Black women who survive birth are also twice as likely as white women to experience severe maternal morbidity (SMM).

In the U.S., Black women died at a rate almost 3xs higher than their white counterparts (i.e., 55 per 100,000 live births) in 2020.

Black women who initiated prenatal care in the 1st trimester have higher rates of infant mortality than non-Hispanic white women with late or no prenatal care.

The Uneven Burden of U.S. Infant Mortality

In 2023, the U.S. infant mortality rate (5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births) falls between Qatar (5.5) & Romania (5.8). Of all states, Mississippi (8.9) had the highest & New Hampshire (3.1) had the lowest infant mortality rates.

2.5x

In 2023, Black infants died 2.5 times more frequently from causes related to low birthweight, 2.35 times more frequently from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), & 2.23 times as often from accidents.

>2x

In 2023, the infant mortality rate for Black Americans was greater than the total population in every maternal age group & over 2xs the rate for mothers in their 30s.

As a group, Black children under age 5 have a higher mortality rate than any state or other demographic group, at 13.4 deaths per 1,000 live births — comparable to rates in Mexico (13.0) & Laos (13.5).

“Racism, not race, is what’s killing Black mamas & babies.“
– Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG

Our Focus

NBEC creates transnational solutions that optimize Black maternal/birthing, infant, sexual & reproductive health & wellbeing. We shift systems & culture through training, research, technical assistance, policy, advocacy, & community-centered collaboration. Inequality & health disparities exist because there are weaknesses built into every level of our health care system.

To improve health outcomes for all mothers, birthing people & infants, we focus on addressing structural & social determinants of health to dismantle the social construct that creates said injustices, i.e. racism. Racism, not “race”, is driver of racist health inequities. Racism is a severe threat to a human health & wellbeing through chronic stress, & it operates at the individual, interpersonal, & structural levels, systemically perpetuating health disparities.

Our Mission

As an organization focused on the sexual reproductive health & wellbeing of Black women & birthing people world-wide, NBEC creates transnational solutions that optimize Black maternal, infant, sexual, & reproductive wellbeing. We shift systems & culture through training, research, technical assistance, policy, advocacy, & community-centered collaboration.

Our Vision

For ALL Black birthing people, babies & their villages to thrive. Our vision is that every Black baby will celebrate a healthy first birthday.

Our Values

Leadership, Freedom, Wellness, Black Lives, & Sisterhood

What We Do at NBEC

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

NBEC creates transnational solutions that optimize Black maternal/birthing, infant, sexual & reproductive health & wellbeing. We provide training & technical assistance for organizations that value community voices & strive to improve the lives of Black families, keeping in line with our definition of true birth equity. Birth equity is the assurance of the conditions of optimal births for all people with a willingness to address social inequities in a sustained effort.

RESEARCH

NBEC seeks to provide research to promote healthier birth experiences a&nd health outcomes. The Birth Equity Index (BEI) is the result of a mixed-methods variance of Black Infant Mortality in the U.S. through Women’s lived experiences in their communities. We partnered with researchers to provide analysis of the collective impact of these experiences & have created a Birth Equity Tool Kit assessment survey.

EVALUATION, TRAINING & PRACTICE

NBEC provides a customized set of strategic racial equity training sessions covering (1) how racism shows up in levels of power, leadership, & worldviews, (2) how to identify & apply this knowledge to dismantle the root causes of health inequities. We provide a framework to advance health & birth equity in all aspects by intervening on an interpersonal & institutional level.

COMMUNITY FOCUS

With a focus on racism as a root cause of health & birth inequities for Black women, NBEC works in partnership with communities & healthcare providers, equipping them with thoughtful tools to catalyze change. NBEC works hand in hand with organizations, communities & stakeholders to develop & implement strategies to achieve health equity goals.

ADVOCACY

Advocacy allows us to collaborate authentically within all of those levels, including hospital systems, state government & federal government. NBEC understands that we can compound our research efforts & increase our impact exponentially with advocacy engrained in our organization.

SHIFTING CULTURE

NBEC is focused on shifting the culture within public health & health care to create an equitable & respectful environment of care for all women, birthing people, & their babies. NBEC has engaged in training & technical assistance with thousands of public health professionals, clinicians, & multisectoral stakeholders.