News

The Wallace Center will host Euki App co-founder Ana Maria Ramirez for an upcoming Voices in Femtech talk on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

The conversation will explore reproductive health, data privacy, and innovation in femtech, with a focus on how public health values can be embedded into digital tools. Euki, a privacy-focused period tracking app originally developed as part of a public health research project, reflects a growing movement to center equity, accessibility, and user data protection in reproductive health technology.

The Wallace Center recently hosted author Andrea Ford for a conversation on her book Near Birth: Contested Values and the Work of Doulas.

The discussion explored how different models of care shape the experience of pregnancy and birth, and highlighted the role of doulas in navigating medical systems while supporting patient autonomy. Drawing from her research, Ford examined the cultural, clinical, and structural factors that influence how birth is understood and practiced.

This March, Wallace Center Summer 2025 MCAH MPH student interns presented their work at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) annual conference in Washington, DC.

The Daily Californian recently highlighted our partnership with BElovedBIRTH Black Centering, a Black-led prenatal and postpartum care model based at Highland Hospital.

The article features the Wallace Center’s role as a research partner, supporting the program through data collection and evaluation to strengthen and expand its impact.

The UC Berkeley School of Public Health recently highlighted our partnership with Beloved Birth Black Centering, a community-centered prenatal care model based at Highland Hospital in Oakland.

We are excited to highlight our work with SisterWeb, a San Francisco-based community doula network dedicated to advancing birth equity and justice for Black families. SisterWeb is a network of culturally congruent community doulas and birth workers who ensure that pregnant people from these communities have access to fair and equitable doula care. The organization also supports its doulas by providing the tools, skills, and mentorship to succeed as professional birth workers.

A recent publication by Wallace Center GSR Mounika Parimi highlights “matrescence,” the transition to motherhood, as a critical and sensitive period in the maternal and child health (MCH) life course. 

Published in Women’s Health Issues, the paper argues for integrating matrescence into the MCH life course framework to better capture the biological, psychological, and social changes that occur during and after pregnancy.

This fall, the Wallace Center hosted its Fall 2025 Open House, highlighting ongoing research in maternal, child, and adolescent health from Wallace-affiliated students and fellows.

The event featured presentations from Wallace Fellow Mounika Parimi and MPH student researchers Samantha Tapia and Noemi Franco.

After nearly three decades of transformative work in maternal, child, and adolescent health, environmental justice, and community-based research, Dr. Kim Harley has retired from UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. As a founding faculty director of the Helen Wallace Center for MCAH, Dr. Harley leaves a legacy of scientific excellence, mentorship, and a steadfast commitment to health equity and community-driven public health.

Access to abortion care has become increasingly complex in the aftermath of shifting political decisions and mounting restrictions across the United States. With last week’s transition in Washington DC, federal-level abortion access is back in the national spotlight. 

Join us for an exciting event to learn about the Wallace Center’s research and partnership with Alameda Health System & Beloved Birth Black Centering! Connect with others interested in maternal, child and adolescent health and learn about the intersections between innovation, digital technology, and public health. Register here.

This article explores how clinicians in California manage essential postpartum care, highlighting top priorities and uncovering gaps in addressing social factors. With Medi-Cal's extended postpartum coverage, this research sheds light on what's working—and what still needs improvement. Read more to discover key insights on how we can enhance postpartum care for new mothers!

Explore the future of maternal healthcare through the eyes of community doulas! This new study dives into how doulas are envisioning innovative solutions to improve the perinatal experiences and health outcomes of birthing people of color in the U.S.

Discover the latest insights on Medicaid doula services in California! With key findings on how doula services can improve maternal health outcomes, this publication highlights both facilitators and barriers to making these benefits accessible. This study dives into the opportunities and challenges of implementing Medi-Cal coverage for doulas, focusing on the perspectives of managed care plans and risk-bearing organizations.

Dr. Kim Harley will serve on the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC) which is the group that decides which chemicals get Prop 65 labels stating that they are "known to the state to cause birth defects or reproductive harm". Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and To

What does this mean for people who need abortion care in the U.S.?

On April 2, the Wallace Center hosted a Career Lunch with Dr. Sophia Yen, founder of Pandia Health. Pandia Health is an online service that provides birth control and emergency contraception to clients across the country, reaching all 50 states. Customers without a prescription in 17 states can pay $30 for an online evaluation to receive a prescription from one of Pandia Health’s doctors. Dr. Yen shared about her experiences starting a telehealth company and being a femtech entrepreneur.

Join us Tuesday, April 2 to learn more about Pandia Health from founder Sophia Yen. 

Black women in the U.S. are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. That racial disparity is true even in California, which has a maternal mortality rate lower than the national average. Now a program in Oakland is trying to change those outcomes and possibly provide a model for other parts of the state.

Daisy Nguyen from member station KQED reports, featuring the Wallace Center's Dr. Kim Harley.