Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health
We are committed to addressing the critical healthcare needs of pregnant and postpartum women and their children. Through the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Initiative, the Eck Institute for Global Health fosters interdisciplinary collaborations and inspires advancements to improve MNCH outcomes within communities in Indiana (U.S.) and around the world.
Featured Projects
Focused Postpartum Care Project
The Focused Postpartum Care Project is an integrated group postpartum care model, adaptable and scalable across different geographies, that combines expanded clinical care, education, and peer support to improve postpartum maternal health and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.
Pop Up Pregnancy & Family Village
The Pop Up Pregnancy & Family Village connects mothers and their families to resources—like insurance, medical care, and education support— to decrease maternal and infant mortality in our region.
Pregnant Moms' Empowerment Program
The Pregnant Moms' Empowerment Program improves maternal health and child outcomes by providing group therapy for women exposed to intimate partner violence, addressing both maternal mental health and early infant development.
Team Leads
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Associate Professor of the Practice
- Eck Institute for Global Health
- Notre Dame Research
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Professor; Director, Eck Institute for Global Health
- Eck Institute for Global Health
- Notre Dame Research
Core Team
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Associate Professor of the Practice
- Eck Institute for Global Health
- Notre Dame Research
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Associate Professor of the Practice; Director, Master of Science in Global Health Program
- Eck Institute for Global Health
- Notre Dame Research
Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Research Update
Our advanced research in maternal, newborn, and child health takes place in communities all over the world.
Meet Our MNCH Researchers View Our MNCH Research Projects
News
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Media Mentions
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WNDU
Pop-up village connects South Bend families to pregnancy resources
August 29, 2026
"Sometimes the access to fresh produce can be difficult, and it can also be really expensive, so being able to offer that for free at the Pop Up is something that I am extremely excited about," said Joyce Adams, associate professor of the practice at the Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame.
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The Conversation
Nearly half of maternal deaths in Pennsylvania occur more than 6 weeks after giving birth
May 29, 2026
By Yenupini Joyce Adams, Associate Professor of the Practice, University of Notre Dame.
For too many women, the journey to motherhood ends in death. Maternal mortality – the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of giving birth – is not a rare tragedy. Globally, the maternal mortality rate is unacceptably high – about 260,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2023. In the U.S., it is also an ongoing crisis. -
WNDU
Notre Dame researcher pilots postpartum care model in South Bend-Elkhart area
May 08, 2026
With Mother’s Day this weekend and Maternal Mental Health Month underway, efforts are growing in the South Bend-Elkhart area to better support moms after baby arrives. Joyce Adams — an associate professor of the practice and global maternal research lead for the Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame — is partnering with Beacon Health System to pilot a postpartum care model aimed at improving support during the critical weeks and months after childbirth.