There are marked disparities between black and nonblack women in the United States in birth outcomes. Black women in the United States are twice as likely to experience fetal mortality and nearly 4 times more likely to die themselves in and around pregnancy. Black women also have higher rates of cesarean sections even after accounting for sociodemographic and clinical differences. Because there is little data on methods to reduce racial disparities and it is proven that care standardization can help create more equitable care, we are testing the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce implicit bias and variation in labor management.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of a standardized labor induction protocol on reducing racial disparities in cesarean delivery rate and maternal and neonatal morbidity/mortality.