BACKGROUND:
TeamBirth is a person-centered intrapartum care model designed to strengthen communication, teamwork, and shared decision-making during labor and birth across diverse settings, from midwife-led birth centers to major academic hospitals. Grounded in core midwifery principles of respect for human dignity, autonomy, and collaboration, TeamBirth uses structured bedside huddles—bringing together the woman giving birth, her nurse, and midwife or obstetrician—to transparently discuss and document care plans on a shared planning board. Since 2018, TeamBirth has been implemented in over 200 hospitals in the United States and Sweden, including statewide rollouts in Oklahoma, Washington, and New Jersey.

OBJECTIVES:
To assess the association between exposure to a TeamBirth huddle during labor and patient-reported autonomy in decision-making in maternity care settings in New Jersey.

METHODS:
Postpartum patients (N=3,518) receiving care across participating midwife-led birth centers and hospitals in New Jersey completed a survey assessing demographic and clinical characteristics, exposure to TeamBirth huddles, and the My Autonomy in Decision-Making (MADM) scale (score range: 6-42). Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine differences in mean MADM scores among those who did and did not report experiencing a huddle. Subgroup analyses explored differences in scores across racial/ethnic groups.

RESULTS:
Participants who experienced a TeamBirth huddle reported significantly higher autonomy scores (b=2.94, p<.001). This association was consistent across Hispanic (b=2.24, p=.003), White (b=3.05, p<.001), Asian (b=3.30, p=.02), and Black (b=3.71, p<.001) participants, indicating TeamBirth’s potential to promote equity and enhance respectful maternity care.

CONCLUSIONS:
Findings from New Jersey reinforce recently published results from Oklahoma, suggesting that TeamBirth is an effective, scalable model for advancing patient autonomy and equitable maternity care. By aligning with core midwifery principles, TeamBirth helps ensure all women are heard, supported, and respected throughout labor and birth.

KEY MESSAGE:
TeamBirth has strong potential for adaptation across diverse care settings and geographies to advance respectful, person-centered maternity care at scale. Poster session 1 (Group A)