Peppy Health has launched a new campaign seeking to address the disparity in maternal mortality rates amongst Black mothers.
The campaign, Black Mums Matter Too, is hoping to take action against the higher numbers of deaths amongst Black women throughout various stages of their pregnancy in comparison to their White counterparts. According to statistics, Black women are four to five times more likely to die “during pregnancy, childbirth and post-birth” than White women.
The campaign is aiming to recruit 200 Black mums and mums-to-be to access Peppy’s services for free. Those who take part will be put in contact with real-life specialists working in pre- and post-natal care. They will be able to communicate with them via chat, video call and live broadcasts.
The app from the company allows users to access support when they experience “big life events” such as pregnancy, menopause and a fertility journey. They were recently selected as one of the 20 SMEs chosen as part of Digital Health London’s Accelerator programme.
Birth Rights activist and Doula Mars Lord, said: “The maternal mortality rates for Black women in the UK are simply unacceptable. Black Mums Matter Too will engage with and empower Black mums and mums-to-be, helping us get to the heart of these health inequalities. Participants will have access to health professionals, trustworthy information and support, all at the touch of a button. Black mums: your lives and the lives of your babies matter. Please, apply today.”
They have previously provided support for Black women when they were chosen to take part in the TechForce19 challenge by NHSX, which was a key project in the national COVID-19 response. Peppy was made available to 1,075 parents, 7% of whom were Black—more than double the UK national average (3%).
According to the results from TechForce19, Peppy experienced 95% user engagement, 60% improvement in feeling of mental health amongst users, and 18% better-than-average feedback from Black participants.
Dr Mridula Pore, CEO and Co-Founder of Peppy, said: “These results drove home the positive impact digital health solutions can have on individuals, particularly at-risk groups. The ability to access trusted information, be referred for further support and connect to a real person, all at the touch of a button, could be transformative. Help us to take action by taking part in this campaign.”
