There’s a push to make a hundreds-year-old birthing practice more accessible in New Jersey. A new report finds midwives could alleviate the growing maternal health crisis in the state by improving care and reducing racial disparities. Black women in New Jersey are seven times more likely to experience a pregnancy-related death than white women.

In 2019, about 10% of births in New Jersey were attended by midwives. Advocates are calling on the state to ease barriers to the practice of midwifery.