Healthline Awards Maternal Health Grant to National Birth Justice Organization Ancient Song

Grant will help to counteract challenges low-income women face in seeking the right information, and social support, before, during and after their pregnancy journeys.

NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthline Media, the leading digital health and wellness property, today announced a collaboration with Ancient Song, a national birth justice organization working to eliminate maternal and infant mortality and morbidity among low-income Black and Latinx people. The partnership underscores Healthline Media's dedication to improving access to care for all birthing people, especially given that African American, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and Latinx Women are more likely to experience negative outcomes in comparison to White women before, during and after pregnancy.

"Black and Hispanic women and birthing people deserve pregnancy journeys that are empowered with information, rooted in respect, and centered in access to high quality collaborative care models that address their medical and social needs," said Rose Aka-James, Senior Project Manager, Health Equity and Social Impact, Healthline Media. "Doulas play a critical role in improving maternal health outcomes for all birthing people.  We are excited to support Ancient Song as they expand their postpartum services and continue the very important work of birth justice advocacy."

Healthline will provide an investment of $100,000 to Ancient Song that will provide 30 individuals postpartum doula services, allow for coordination of doula care and develop continuing education postpartum education classes virtually and in-person. A new study from Healthline Media shows that as many as two out of five new and expecting moms held back or felt that they were not being listened to by their maternal care team at some point in their pregnancy or postpartum journey. Enlisting the help of a doula during pregnancy and birth helps to alleviate some of the key reasons people hold back, which include not knowing what questions to ask, being afraid to ask questions and fearing not being understood.

"Ancient Song is excited about this opportunity to partner with Healthline and RVO Health to push health equity in New York City," said Chanel Porcia-Albert, founder and chief executive director at Ancient Song. "This is just one of many steps forward to center the pregnant and parenting families of NYC."

The partnership will span the course of the next year and extends Healthline Media's mission of helping all people achieve better wellbeing. The work with Ancient Song expands on existing content partnerships and social impact programs including A Line to Good, the Healthline Stronger Scholarship, BEAM Black Wellness and Mental Health Grants and Power In.

Healthline Media's investment will also support Ancient Song's programming efforts through sponsorship of the 2023 Decolonize Birth Conference in Brooklyn, NY. Learn more about the programming here and about Healthline Media's health equity and social impact work in the maternal health space here.

About Healthline Media
Healthline Media drives wellbeing forward, leading 74 million people to take action and improve their lives every month. With our depth of insight, we meet people where they are in their personal health journeys and connect them with medically evidenced content, communities, and solutions when they need it most. Trust, inclusivity, and compassion for the human experience are at the heart of all we do. Healthline Media's portfolio includes Healthline, Medical News Today, Psych Central, Greatist, and Bezzy.

About Ancient Song
Ancient Song is a national birth justice organization working to eliminate maternal and infant mortality and morbidity among Black and Latinx people. We provide doula training and services, offer community education, and advocate for policy change to support reproductive and birth justice. Our mission is to ensure that all pregnant, postpartum, and parenting people of color have access to high-quality, holistic doula care and services regardless of their ability to pay.

SOURCE Healthline Media