How The Better Birth Project Is Transforming Maternal Health Through Pelvic Education

Centering Marginalized Voices

Written by Dr. Bridget Ochuko, PT, DPT, MPH, Board Member – InspireHer: A Global Women’s Health Initiative

In this powerful reflection, Dr. Bridget Ochuko shares how listening to birth workers reshaped a national initiative—and why centering pelvic health in marginalized communities can transform maternal outcomes for everyone.

I never imagined a few interviews would ignite a movement.

When I first joined InspireHer (formerly GWHI) as a student researcher, I was tasked with exploring the pelvic health knowledge of doulas working in communities most affected by maternal health disparities. What I found was sobering—powerful birth workers, deeply trusted by their clients, often lacked foundational pelvic health education that could significantly improve birth and postpartum outcomes.

One doula told me, “I didn’t know pelvic floor PT existed until after I had kids.” Another said, “I can tell my clients something is off, but I don’t have the tools to help them understand what’s happening in their own body.” These conversations lit a fire in me.

And so began The Better Birth Project —an initiative designed to bridge this very gap.

Listening First, Then Educating

The United States has a maternal health crisis—and it hits Black and Indigenous women the hardest. As a clinician and childbirth educator, I’ve seen firsthand how implicit racial bias, limited access to care, and a lack of culturally responsive education contribute to devastating outcomes.

We knew we couldn’t start with assumptions. We began by listening—conducting needs assessments and interviews with doulas across Georgia and Louisiana. We heard their stories, we witnessed their passion, and we built our curriculum from the ground up—centered around their real-life experiences and the needs of their communities.

This wasn’t just about pelvic anatomy—it was about justice.

When You Educate a Birth Worker, You Impact a Village

The Better Birth Project provides **free virtual pelvic health education**, delivered in both live and asynchronous formats, to doulas and birth workers serving marginalized communities. In partnership with organizations like Origin and through volunteer mentors, we’ve created space for collaborative learning between PTs and doulas.

Our focus:

• Understanding pelvic floor function through pregnancy and postpartum
• Early identification of issues like prolapse, incontinence, and pain
• Equipping birth workers to advocate for their clients within biased systems
• Promoting trauma-informed, culturally relevant care

We also offer mentorship—group and one-on-one sessions—with licensed pelvic health therapists to help doulas deepen their understanding and ask real-world questions.

And the ripple effect? It’s already growing.

Stories That Stay With Me

One doula told us: “This helped me realize that pelvic health isn’t just something extra—it’s central to birth and recovery.” Another began teaching her entire doula team what she had learned, creating community-wide change.

This is what happens when you equip the right people with the right knowledge.

**“When we improve birth outcomes for the most marginalized communities, we improve birth outcomes for all.”**

It’s not just a mantra—it’s a fact. When we center those who’ve historically been ignored, we create a more equitable system for everyone.

What’s Next—and Why It Matters

As we reflect on the stories, the statistics, and the systems we work within, one thing becomes clear: _education is a tool for liberation_. By increasing access to pelvic health knowledge—especially among birth workers who are trusted within marginalized communities—we have the potential to impact not just one birth, but generations of lives.

There’s still more to do. We need continued collaboration across disciplines. We need to listen more, assume less, and ensure the knowledge we share is both clinically sound and culturally relevant.

Because when we improve birth outcomes for the most marginalized communities, we improve birth outcomes for all.

Let that be our collective north star.

About the Author

Dr. Bridget Ochuko, PT, DPT, MPH

Board Member – InspireHer: A Global Women’s Health Initiative

Dr. Bridget Ochuko is a pelvic health physical therapist, certified childbirth educator, and trained doula. She serves as a board member for InspireHer: A Global Women’s Health Initiative and is the lead coordinator of the Better Birth Project. Passionate about equity and education, Bridget’s work centers on empowering marginalized communities through accessible pelvic health care and collaborative provider training.

• Bachelor's in Exercise Science, The University of Georgia 2017
• Doctorate of Physical Therapy, Emory University 2022
• Master's of Public Health, Emory University 2022
• St. Louis Women's Health Residency, Washington University, Saint Louis 2023
• Current Practice: Durham, North Carolina

Follow Inspire Her on Instagram @gwhi10!