From the Margins to the Center

Objectives: Black mothers face higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity than any other group in the United States. Despite their potential to influence maternal health outcomes positively, Black fathers are typically overlooked in health care systems and maternal health research. This commentary is a call to action to stop sidelining fathers and help them help mothers. Research: Fathers can play key roles in reducing stress, supporting healthy behaviors, and advocating for care throughout the perinatal continuum. The FATHER framework aims to provide conceptual grounding for this body of work. Methods: Utilizing the theory of change framework, modified to reflect the tenets of antiracism, we employ human-centered design methods to develop community-driven strategies to decolonize maternal health care for Black families. Conclusions: A call to action is made to inspire bold projects that challenge the status quo through the meaningful involvement of fathers. Emphasis is on the codesign of strategies and tools with fathers to alleviate adverse outcomes in maternal health.