Communication Between Pregnant People of Color and Care Providers

Labor Induction Outcomes in Hospital-Based Midwife-Led Care

Since the landmark ARRIVE trial reshaped labor induction practices across the country, midwives have been asking, what do these findings actually mean in the hands of midwifery-led care? In this episode of Speaking of Midwives, host Melissa Avery sits down with Dr. Denise Smith, midwife, researcher, and assistant professor at the University of Colorado, to discuss her recently published study in the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health examining outcomes for labor induction compared with expectant management across four diverse midwifery practice groups serving more than 7,000 births.Dr. Smith and her team at the Midwifery Reach research lab set out to answer what clinicians were already asking in practice, does induction of labor increase cesarean birth rates in midwifery-managed settings? The findings are both reassuring and revealing, with important implications for how midwives counsel patients, manage labor, and advocate for resource equity.This is midwife-led research, answering questions that matter most to midwifery practice. These conversations are exactly what Speaking of Midwives is here for.Smith DC, Gemkow JW, Shiferaw BA, Anderson J, Bulinski D, Brody MG, Carrington S, Cherry C, Pirrie SM, Williams A, Smyth HL, Kissler KJ. (2026), Outcomes for labor induction compared with expectant management among women receiving hospital-based, midwifery-led care. J Midwifery Womens Health. Published in EarlyView April 2026.

Communication Between Pregnant People of Color and Care Providers

What does the research tell us about how pregnant people of color experience communication with their care providers? What can midwives do about it right now? In this episode, we sit down with Amy Goh, CNM, PhD, whose integrative review published in the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health examined communication dynamics between pregnant people of color and their prenatal care providers across the United States. Dr. Goh unpacks the overarching themes her team uncovered — racism, discrimination, and critical unmet educational needs — and translates that evidence into actionable strategies for building stronger, more trusting patient-provider relationships. We have a candid conversation about confronting the historical roots of midwifery and obstetrics, and what it truly means to provide care grounded in respect, safety, and bodily autonomy for every birthing person. Dr. Goh also shares the Beloved Birth 50 by 50 bold vision, which is a national call to action to have 50% of all U.S. births attended by midwives by the year 2050. Key Takeaway:Systemic change begins with local action. When we center the leadership of midwives of color and expand equitable access to birth centers, we move closer to a future where every birthing person feels genuinely safe, respected, and heard. Featured Research:Goh AH, Altman MR, Canty L, Edmonds JK. Communication between pregnant people of color and prenatal care providers in the United States: An integrative review. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024;69(2):202–223. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13580 [https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13580]

Weight Bias in Midwifery

Behind every breakthrough in reproductive healthcare, a researcher is asking the right questions. More often than you think, that researcher is a midwife. Welcome to Speaking of Midwives, we are the official podcast of the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health where our host, Melissa Avery, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN leads conversations about evidence, innovations, and the future of midwifery science. Today, in our debut episode Melissa interviews Heather Bradford, PhD, CNM, FACNM, about weight bias in midwifery. Heather shares how she became interested in this topic and how weight bias affects the way we deliver care. The episode introduces our commitment to honest, unfiltered discussions about birth, reproductive justice, and the future of maternal health. Whether you are an expectant parent, a birth professional, or simply a believer in better care for all, this episode is your invitation to join the conversation as we begin Speaking of Midwives. More about Heather Bradford, PhD, CNM, FACNM * Linkedin - @hmbmidwife * Bradford HM, Puhl RM, Phillippi JC, Dietrich MS, & Neal JL. Weight bias in the perinatal period: An integrative review. Birth. 2025;52(2):189-206. Doi:10.1111/birt.12870 * Bradford HM, Puhl RM, Phillippi JC, Dietrich MS, & Neal JL. Weight bias among certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives: Findings from a national sample. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024;69(3):333-341. Doi:10.1111/jmwh.13608 * Bradford HM, Puhl RM, Phillippi JC, Dietrich MS, & Neal JL. Implicit and explicit weight bias among midwives: Variations across demographic characteristics. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024;69(3):342-352. Doi:10.1111/jmwh.13616Olson SM, Muñoz EG, Solis EC, * Bradford HM. Mitigating weight bias in the clinical setting: A new approach to care. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2024;69(2):180-190. doi:10.1111/jmwh.13578 Clip mentioned by Heather during the interview. James Cordon clip ⁠   • James Corden Responds to Bill Maher's Fat ...  ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax1U04c4gaw]