Prenatal Well Research | Maternal Health Studies with Notre Dame

Advancing Maternal Health Through Evidence, Partnership, and Purpose

At Prenatal Well, research is not a separate arm of our work it is woven into everything we do. Our commitment to rewriting the future of maternal health is strengthened by rigorous study, thoughtful inquiry, and partnerships that uplift both science and community.

We believe that the women and families we serve deserve programs that are not only compassionate, but proven to make a difference. Our research agenda ensures that Early Connect, and all future Prenatal Well initiatives, are grounded in evidence and continually improving.

Our Research Partnership with the University of Notre Dame

Prenatal Well is proud to partner with the Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame, specifically its Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Division.

This collaboration brings together interdisciplinary expertise to address maternal health disparities in one of the most underserved regions of the United States. Through this partnership, our communities benefit from world-class research capacity, while Notre Dame scholars gain meaningful, community-based learning opportunities in maternal health.

Co-Principal Investigators

Our research efforts are led jointly by:

Together, Dr. Dominique and Dr. Adams bring clinical expertise, community insight, and academic rigor to every stage of the research process.

Study Overview

Our primary study focuses on evaluating Prenatal Well’s Early Connect program, a first-of its kind maternal support initiative providing trimester-based education, nutrition support, transportation, 24/7 maternal advocates, and linkage to over 100 local resources.

Study Aims

Acceptability, Feasibility & Participant Satisfaction Evaluate whether the Early Connect program is meeting mothers’ needs, is easy to engage with, and is experienced as supportive, respectful, and empowering.
Maternal & Infant Outcomes Examine health indicators such as prenatal care engagement, birth outcomes, postpartum recovery, care continuity, and social determinants of health among Early Connect participants compared to regional trends.

This mixed-methods approach allows us to pair quantitative outcomes with the lived experiences of the women we serve ensuring that their voices inform both practice and policy.

Student Engagement & Capacity Building

In partnership with Notre Dame, Prenatal Well offers undergraduate and graduate students realworld opportunities to:

Engage in community-based maternal health research
Conduct data collection and analysis in an under-researched region
Participate in fieldwork that integrates clinical care, social support, and public health
Develop culturally responsive research skills
Present findings that contribute to national conversations about maternal health equity

Through this collaboration, students learn that meaningful research is human-centered, grounded in relationships, and strengthened by community partnership.

Our Commitment to Ethical, Community-Driven Research

Every component of our work is designed with the community not just for it. We uphold the highest standards of confidentiality, informed consent, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight. Feedback from mothers, families, and community stakeholders actively shapes how Early Connect evolves over time.
Our goal is simple: to ensure that every mother’s story becomes data that leads to change

Looking Ahead

The insights gained from our research will:

Improve the Early Connect model
Inform regional and state maternal health initiatives
Support policy recommendations
Advance the national conversation on Black maternal health
Create replicable frameworks to strengthen care in underserved settings

Prenatal Well is honored to serve as both an anchor for community care and a catalyst for scientific progress