Dartmouth Health Co-Leads New Hampshire Perinatal Quality Collaborative
Maternal and infant health has become a national concern. The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries worldwide. Also in the U.S., Black women, Native American women and women in rural communities experience higher maternal mortality rates than white women or women living in urban areas. New Hampshire is taking action to address similar health concerns and inequities across the state.
Launched in February 2024 and led by teams from Dartmouth Health and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the New Hampshire Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NHPQC) is a statewide network working collaboratively to improve maternal and infant health care and outcomes. Recognizing that poor outcomes “disproportionately impact individuals based on race/ethnicity, rurality, income level and insurance status,” the NHPQC aims to bridge those gaps.
The core co-design team includes ob-gyns, doulas, a quality improvement specialist, community health workers and parenting community members, all of whom guide the collaborative’s strategic direction. The NHPQC prioritizes reaching out to moms and members of local organizations to share their experience and perspective, bolstering efforts to advocate for improved maternal health care.
Overarching goals of the collaborative are:
- Developing a sustainable infrastructure that supports ideal birth conditions for everyone.
- Ensuring equitable, safe and inclusive practice and care in all New Hampshire communities.
- Supporting women/birthing people and making sure they have the power to make informed decisions.
- Collecting and evaluating data to continuously improve perinatal health outcomes in the state.
Central to the NHPQC’s work is building local perinatal coalitions across New Hampshire to address the needs of each regional birthing community, giving “voice to all people with a stake in perinatal health care who may not be traditionally represented in spaces where these change efforts occur.”
The NHPQC has a dedicated webpage to share resources and publicize webinars that cover everything from maternal nutrition to maternal mental health. Monthly newsletters spotlight coalition partners, provide helpful information and resources for community outreach — including suggested “elevator speech” templates — and track the progress of coalition-building across the state.