Modern Maternity Care Center Oula Named to Inc.'s 2022 Best in Business List for its Collaborative Care Model to Better the Experience of Pregnancy and Childbirth

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Dec 06, 2022, 11:46 ET

Third annual list recognizes private companies leading with purpose.

According to the World Health Organization, collaborative care, which brings together doctors and midwives, is the future.

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oula, the modern maternity clinic dedicated to transforming the experience of pregnancy and childbirth, is proud to be recognized by Inc.'s third 2022 Best in Business List for the Northeast Region as well as an honoree for the Health Services category. The list honors private companies that have made an extraordinary impact in their fields and on society by leading with purpose.

The final list, which can be found in the winter issue of Inc. Magazine (on newsstands December 13), recognizes the most dynamic companies of all sizes and industries that have had an outstanding influence on their fields and on society as a whole to make a positive difference in the world.

Since opening their doors in February 2021, Oula is outperforming national, state, and city quality standards including a lower rate of cesarean births and preterm deliveries. After hitting capacity in just three months at their Brooklyn clinic – and more than 500 births later – Oula opened their second location in Manhattan to serve families from all five boroughs and New Jersey, and plans to expand to six new markets over the next three years.

For decades, U.S. maternity care has been defined by abysmal health outcomes, awful patient experiences, and sky-high costs. As global maternal mortality declines, the U.S. is the only developed country where it's on the rise. Severe maternal complications have more than doubled in the past 20 years, and compared to women in other high-income countries, women in the U.S. report the least positive experiences in healthcare and are more likely to report emotional distress. Yet, one study found that including midwives in healthcare systems could prevent more than 80 percent of maternal and infant deaths.

"We founded Oula with the ambitious mission of redesigning maternity care from the ground up," said Adrianne Nickerson, co-founder and CEO of Oula, and mother of an Oula baby. "Our country is at a crisis point when it comes to caring for new mothers. Simply making it through pregnancy and childbirth alive is not good enough; we need a higher standard. There has never been a better or more important moment to change the way maternity care is provided in this country. We're grateful for the trust our patients have placed in us, and humbled to be recognized by Inc. Magazine for our efforts to deliver a better pregnancy experience, one family at a time."

According to a recent CDC report, 84 percent of maternal deaths in the U.S. are preventable. The same report identified inadequate mental health support and insufficient postpartum care as major problems with our country's maternity care system.

Oula was founded on the belief that improving the experience of pregnancy and childbirth will lead to better outcomes and lower costs. Their focus on experience means that Oula providers spend twice as much time with patients as regular obstetricians do. That additional time leads to deeper connections, which in turn leads to a more comprehensive understanding of a patient's needs and makes it easier to identify potential problems. Oula is committed to raising the standard for maternity care for everyone, and is proud to take insurance, including Medicaid, which covers more than 40 percent of births in the U.S. Today, one in five Oula patients rely on Medicaid, 54 percent of patients identify as non-white or Hispanic, and one in 10 patients are LGBTQ+.

"At Oula, we've seen how small shifts, like redefining the standard six-week postnatal checkup and following up with every patient within the first week of giving birth, can make a big difference," said Elaine Purcell, co-founder and COO of Oula, as well as another Oula parent. "Our patients get all the essentials of prenatal care – visits, labs, tests, and screenings – with a fundamentally different approach. We focus on your health as well as your baby's, and recognize that mental and physical health go hand-in-hand. We reject false binaries like doctor or midwife, medicated birth or au naturale, modern medicine or human intuition. There's no right way to give birth, only your way."

"Inc. Magazine is dedicated to showcasing America's most dynamic businesses and the great things they do. The Best in Business awards shine a light on those that have gone above and beyond their original mission to make a social, environmental or economic impact, benefiting those around them," said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc.

To learn more about Oula, or to book an appointment, please visit www.oulahealth.com. Oula is located at 109 Montague Street in Brooklyn and 202 Spring Street in Manhattan. Link to high res imagery here.

About Oula:

Oula is a modern maternity clinic that brings together the best of midwifery and obstetrics to deliver a personalized, evidence-based pregnancy experience so that everyone has the support they need to thrive before, during, and after birth. With our collaborative medical team, welcoming clinic, and remote care platform, we are setting a new standard for pregnancy that brings together modern medicine and human intuition. Both Co-Founders and Chief Experience Officer were pregnant during the pandemic while they raised capital and opened their first location, reaching full capacity in three months. Oula is venture-backed and has raised $22.3M to-date by investors including Chelsea Clinton's fund, Metrodora. Oula accepts insurance, including Medicaid. Learn more at oulahealth.com.

Contact: Catherine Cuello-Fuente, [email protected]

SOURCE Oula