How Design Saves Lives: Preventing POC Maternal Mortality
Did you know in 2021 the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White women (according to the CDC)?
It is no secret that the US health system has a terrifying history of discrimination and bias in hospital settings. This has created detrimental harm to people of color.
On a mission to change this, Spora Health, a radically inclusive, virtual-first primary care provider that delivers healthcare that is easy to access, effective, and culture-centered, engaged with Leadoff Studio to design their Momma’s Kit, a maternal health package that guides expecting and new mothers through their third and fourth trimester.
By engaging in comprehensive conversations with individuals in their third and fourth trimesters, as well as esteemed professionals such as doulas, doctors, and physician's assistants, Leadoff Studio embarked on a journey to understand and address the emotional pain points across all facets of the birthing and healthcare experience. This profound research enabled Leadoff Studio to conceptualize and develop Momma's Kit—an intuitive and user-friendly system that can be instrumental in saving lives and enhancing healthcare for its users.
Designed by Leadoff Studio, the Momma’s Kit embodies positive messaging with an unboxing experience and graphic design to excite, instruct, and accommodate the limited time of expecting and new mothers. In order to improve healthcare for the users, and ultimately save lives, every design detail for the packaging of the Spora Health Momma’s Kit was considered under the lens of making the experience inviting and easy for the user. Leadoff Studio used full bleed imagery of pregnant Black women using the devices. These images show proper usage and orientation of the devices while reaffirming that the Spora app and Kit are centering and supporting the experience of people of color.
The Momma’s Kit is sent to Spora members towards the end of their 2nd trimester and onboards them to the health monitoring program that runs throughout the 3rd and 4th trimesters (3 months before birth, and 3 months after birth). Leadoff Studio designed the kit around two medical devices: a Blood Pressure Cuff and Pulse Oximeter. By flagging low oxygen levels or irregular blood pressure, Spora’s physicians are able to identify over 80% of conditions most common to Black pregnant women and new mothers.
The Momma's Kit stands as a testament to the power of design in fostering positive healthcare outcomes, ultimately improving the lives of those it serves, and can contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality rates among black women.
Find out more about Spora Health on their website.
Find out more about Leadoff Studio here.