The Black And WOC-Owned Apps Revolutionizing Pregnancy And Postpartum Support

The risk of maternal death from 2019 to 2021 was statistically significantly almost four times higher among women from Black ethnic minority backgrounds compared with white women.

Black women are generally at a greater risk of maternal mortality compared to white women, with many reporting negative experiences before, during, and after pregnancy.

We have compiled a list of Black and woman of color-owned apps or platforms that benefit these women during and after pregnancy.

Villie – Kimberly Jolasun

Villie is on a mission to support expecting and new moms through all pregnancy, birth, and beyond milestones, inspired by founder Kimberly Jolasun’s West African culture.

Based in Atlanta, Villie brings the village together for moms nationwide to receive support for their newborn or soon-to-be-born babies.

It is revolutionizing how expecting and new parents connect, raise funds, receive gifts, and unite their village in today’s digital world.

The platform is dedicated to simplifying support by creating tools that empower parents to engage their village effortlessly.

Jolasun recently celebrated that her platform has helped countless Black mothers create online fundraisers to raise money for their baby’s needs.

So far, the platform has raised more than $1 million collectively.

The Journey Pregnancy App – Courtney Williams

Drawing on her own pregnancy experiences, Emagine Solutions Technology co-founder and CEO Courtney Williams developed The Journey Pregnancy App.

The data-driven tool combines technology’s power with a human touch to ensure a safer and more informed pregnancy journey.

Williams, a biracial woman, became aware of the disparities in maternal healthcare after her sister’s challenging pregnancy experience.

The Journey Pregnancy App addresses this gap by allowing users to track daily vitals and symptoms.

This data empowers users to advocate for themselves during discussions with healthcare providers, and 40% of app users report feeling safer during their pregnancies.

Irth App – Kimberly Seals Allers

Irth is a mobile app that collects and shares healthcare reviews from parents of color, with the name coming from the word birth and the “b” dropped for bias.

The app was founded by Kimberly Seals Allers, who had her own experience with birthing and inspired her companies.

Irth helps Black and brown women and birthing people have a safer and more empowered pregnancy experience by allowing users to see how other parents of color experience care from a doctor or at a hospital.

The app enables Black birthing families and doulas to give reviews on hospitals and care teams to serve as guidance for families who are researching to pick a hospital.

People can leave and read reviews on the app on prenatal care, postpartum appointments, and pediatric care.

Wolomi – Layo George

Wolomi, founded by Layo George, is the pregnancy companion created by a woman of color for women of color.

Wolomi is a digital community that supports women of color to improve maternal health outcomes.

Members can access maternal health experts, events, and a community of amazing women.

Growing up in Nigeria and DC, George witnessed the joy of community support when someone was having a baby.

But when she moved to America, she realized standard practice in Africa was different everywhere.

The goal and mission of Wolomi is to provide resources and guidance that support Black birthing people to own their perinatal journey alongside others who look like them and share in their experience.

Navigate Maternity – Ariana McGee

Ariana McGee founded Navigate Maternity, a remote monitoring platform facilitating equitable prenatal and postpartum care for pregnant women.

McGee nearly lost her fourth child in 2020 due to medical negligence; however, thankfully, her baby was born due to her doctor’s notice of the situation, and they both survived.

She did, however, experience first-hand how easily Black women die in this process if they are not heard or do not have an advocate.

Navigate Maternity was founded by Black women in healthcare, and they are on a mission to provide data-driven solutions to address the maternal mortality crisis.

Their software platform pairs with an FDA-cleared wearable to connect providers with patient data in real time, allowing care teams to intervene before a catastrophic event occurs.

The providers receive the data through wearables, such as a Bluetooth blood pressure cuff, worn by at-risk patients.

The platform includes real-time biometric data monitoring, virtual mental health screening, questionnaires, and postpartum care.