Your Birth Story Matters.
Every Story Shapes Better Care.
Black Mamas in Cincinnati: We Want to Hear From You
Mama Certified was created by Black mamas through Queens Village to help you make informed choices about your care, and to help hospitals provide you with better care. Your voice is one of the most powerful tools we have to make that happen.
If you recently gave birth at a Cincinnati-area hospital, tell us about your care through the Birthing Experience Survey. What felt right? What didn’t? What could be better? Black mamas and hospital leaders will use your story to make care better for the next mama.
Every Black mama deserves to feel safe, informed, respected, and empowered, from pregnancy through postpartum.
Who Can Share Their Story?
The survey takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and your answers are confidential.
You can take the survey if you:
- Identify as Black or African American
Are 18 or older
- Gave birth at a participating Cincinnati hospital between November 2025 and now
As a thank-you for your time, every mama who completes the survey receives a $50 gift card.
Ready to Share Your Story?
Your answers are confidential.
What Black Mamas and Providers Said: Phase II Birthing Experience Report
In Ohio, Black mamas are more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes, and 88% of deaths during and after pregnancy are preventable. (DCY 2026) That’s why your voice matters.
251 Black mamas shared their birth experiences along with 15 doctors, nurses, and midwives. Here’s what their answers showed:
More than 3 in 4 Black mamas surveyed reported experiences that reflected good or excellent person-centered maternity care.
Mamas and providers named three steps hospitals need to take:
Structural Change
Systems and policies built with Black mamas in mind
- Provide care that is just for every mama
- Prioritize hiring a racially diverse workforce.
- Turn mamas’ concerns into real action
- New: Keep the same care team through pregnancy and birth
Provider Training
Care teams trained to listen to and earn mamas’ trust
- Train care teams to provide respectful, equitable care.
- Keep mamas informed, no matter the outcome.
- Explain care options clearly so mamas can make informed decisions.
- Believe mamas’ pain and act on it.
Patient Power
A real voice in every decision about her care
- Welcome doulas and birth companions as essential
- Give every mama respectful, attentive care
- New: Honor mamas’ birth choices, rights and decisions
- New: Strengthen breastfeeding education and support
The stories in this report — mamas’ stories, your story — are a roadmap to better care.