Katy B. Kozhimannil, PhD, MPA

February 20, 2019

Births in freestanding birth centers are increasing, and the number of birth centers is increasing, as well, but capacity is not keeping up with demand. Freestanding birth centers provide many of the same services that are provided for low-risk pregnancies in hospitals, and there is evidence of equivalent or better outcomes of care both here in the United States and in abroad. Yet, freestanding birth centers are paid less than hospitals for doing the same work.

July 03, 2018

In the United States, too many of our mothers are dying during and after childbirth. Costs of childbirth care are high for everyone—for health plans, for taxpayers, and for families. We are moving in the wrong direction, and it is well past time to change course.

October 17, 2017

Truly improving equity in childbirth care requires a bold new path forward.

September 05, 2017

Racial bias happens everywhere; it happens, often implicitly, as decisions are made about access to childbirth care in rural America.

July 25, 2017

This post is part of a series of blogs illuminating aspects of racial equity in childbirth and highlighting promising practices to ensure access to a safe, empowering, healthy, and positive birth for all people.

July 10, 2017

This post is part of a series of blogs illuminating aspects of racial equity in childbirth and highlighting promising practices to ensure access to a safe, empowering, healthy, and positive birth for all people.

June 09, 2017

This series of blogs will illuminate aspects of racial equity in childbirth and highlight promising practices to ensure access to a safe, empowering, healthy, and positive birth for all people.

May 28, 2016

The rising costs of healthcare generally, and the high costs of childbirth in the United States, are forcing innovation in payment models for maternity care alongside the ongoing efforts in other clinical areas.

April 07, 2016

Systems failures frustrate women who seek access to evidence-based, cost-effective contraceptive care.

January 16, 2016

A recently-published paper in the New England Journal of Medicine sheds light on an urgent question: is it safer for moms and their babies to give birth at a hospital or in a setting outside a hospital?