Doula using a rebozo shawl to relieve the lower back pressure of a pregnant woman.

NEW: Improving Our Maternity Care
Through Doula Support

National Partnership Welcomes Jennifer M. Ng’andu to Board of Directors, Announces Shreya Jani as Board Chair

Statement of Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 17, 2024 – The National Partnership for Women & Families today announced the addition of Jennifer M. Ng'andu to the Board of Directors and...

National Partnership Commends Rule Finalizing Strong Protections for 2.8 Million Pregnant Workers

Statement of Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 15, 2024 – Today, the Biden Administration published a final rule implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), landmark legislation...

National Partnership Has Harsh Criticism for Virginia Governor Following Veto of Paid Leave Legislation

Statement of Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 8, 2024 – “Today, we join with our friends and allies in Virginia vowing to continue the fight for paid leave, following the disappointing...

Dear Boss: I didn’t know what life was going to throw my way

Dear Boss, I didn’t think that we could make this work. Shortly after having a little boy, my partner and I got to dive into the scary, competitive, expensive and overwhelming process of finding child care. Fast forward to now, a year and half later, we have only...

NEWS: How women at one Arizona clinic are grappling with abortion ruling

How Women at One Arizona Clinic Are Grappling With the Abortion Ruling The New York Times, April 14, 2024 Leah found out she was five weeks pregnant on the same day that the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 law banning nearly all abortions in the state. The law is...

Black Maternal Health Week 2024: The Legacy of Black Maternal Wisdom

In March, a month before the beginning of Black Maternal Health Week, the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a disparaging study claiming that maternal deaths have been overestimated. Let’s make one thing clear: Black women are dying at...

Asian American and Pacific Islander Women and the Wage Gap

FACT SHEET | A look at the wage gap for Asian American and Pacific Islander women by ethnic subgroup, and what that gap means for them and their families.

Dobbs’ Erosion of the Health Care Workforce: Harms to Providers and Patients

ISSUE BRIEF | The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and extreme abortion bans and restrictions passed by states even prior to then, have had far reaching impacts on health care providers and the communities they care for.

2024 Legislative Agenda

We call on Congressional champions for women's health and economic security to cosponsor and push for passage of the following priority bills in 2024.

Pregnant Women Embracing Belly Bumps

Listening to Mothers in California

A project of the National Partnership for Women & Families, California Health Care Foundation and Yellow Chair Foundation.

Discussing Maternity Care With California Mothers

Annually, about a half million babies – or 1 in 8 U.S. infants – are born in California. Listening to Mothers in California explores the views and experiences of childbearing women with an in-depth focus on maternity care. This is the first state-level Listening to Mothers survey and was adapted to California needs and opportunities, including current maternity care issues in the state and the distinctive population of birthing women.

Read the Report

Check out the full report, along with interactive charts and tables

More Resources

Find additional resources and products that highlight key parts of the survey data

About

Learn more about Listening to Mothers in California and its creators

Getting Started

Listening to Mothers in California Data Snapshot

Check out these helpful charts that highlight key findings from the Listening to Mothers in California survey.

The Stories Behind the Numbers

This video highlights three themes: racial and ethnic disparities in maternity care, maternal mental health and what respectful care looks like.

The Overmedicalization of Childbirth

This infographic illustrates the data behind the overuse of unwanted and unneeded interventions and the less invasive alternatives available

Listening to Mothers Full Survey Report

More than 2,500 women shared their attitudes and experiences with childbirth. Read what they have to say in the printable full survey report PDF.