What is the name of your organization?
Birth By Us, Inc.
What is the name of your solution?
Birth By Us
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
AI-powered app supporting Black and Brown moms with health tracking, resources, community and systems-level insights that improve outcomes and care.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Chicago, IL, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
USA
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
With a maternal death every 2 mins, it’s clear the world is in a maternal health crisis and Black moms are at the center of it.
In the U.S., Black women are 3x more likely to die from childbirth than white women — a statistic that hasn’t budged despite improvements for every other racial group. Globally, the numbers are even more staggering, with the current maternal mortality rate nearly triple the SDG goal.
And for every maternal death, there are dozens more who experience severe complications and trauma, morbidity measures that result in long-term adverse effects for mom and baby like cardiovascular (2x increase) and metabolic diseases.
But death and complication cannot be our only benchmark. Mothers deserve a happy and healthy perinatal experience, but for the millions of Black women birthing around the world, that journey is shrouded in fear and anxiety.
Over the past five years, we’ve spoken with more than 450 stakeholders worldwide (mothers, doulas, providers, etc.) and what moms are feeling is clear:
“I’m afraid of becoming another statistic.”
“I’m overwhelmed. There’s no resources made for us.”
“I’m all alone. I don’t feel like I can do this.”
What is your solution?
Birth By Us is a culturally-rooted, community-centered app reimagining what it means to support Black and Brown moms during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum — not just helping them survive, but helping them feel seen, supported, and empowered.
The app opens with “How are you feeling today?”, prompting users to pause and check in. Our holistic wellbeing assessments track physical and emotional health, generating actionable insights moms can use and share with their care teams. By giving users the language to name what they’re feeling, BBU strengthens self-advocacy and helps catch early warning signs of morbidity and mortality.
From there, we leverage AI to connect moms with culturally-relevant resources like local events, expert-backed articles, support services, etc. As such, we amplify the work of trusted organizations and help them better reach target communities.
Many moms report feeling isolated so BBU recommends personalized peer communities where users can connect and support each other on a deep emotional level.
For providers, we turn user feedback into comprehensive quality reports paired with clear resources to clearly highlight what’s working and what’s not. BBU supports patients and providers, creating systems that are more responsive, accountable, and equitable.
Demo: https://youtu.be/FUn4UUDJXTg
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our target audience begins with reproductive-age (16-45) Black women in the U.S. as we bear the brunt of the perinatal disparities in the nation.
BBU equips birthing people with the tools, knowledge, and community support needed to be their health advocates and achieve their best birthing experience, contributing to an at-large reduction in maternal health disparities.
Since our pilot, users have consistently shared how BBU helps them understand their bodies, articulate concerns to providers, feel less alone, and access critical support. While our users span a range of incomes, educations, and locations, nearly all reported feeling dismissed or misunderstood — and note that BBU helps make their short appointments more efficient and productive.
BBU improves experiences and outcomes for moms across socioeconomic lines.
While we intentionally start with Black women, we recognize the need across other marginalized groups and globally. We’ve conducted research in Brazil on obstetric racism in partnership with the University of São Paulo and see the app’s potential in countries like Nigeria, where infrastructure and care delays are the driving issues. In these contexts, BBU helps moms recognize warning signs and seek care earlier — while also connecting them to local providers, services, and organizations.
