Hear Her® American Indian/Alaska Native Campaign Development and Implementation

Hear Her®, a communications campaign launched in 2020, supports CDC’s efforts to prevent pregnancy-related deaths by raising awareness of urgent maternal warning signs. The campaign amplifies the stories of women who have experienced pregnancy and postpartum complications and encourages partners, friends, family and healthcare providers to really listen when those concerns are raised and offer help.

This Hear Her® campaign recognized the importance of creating culturally appropriate resources with and for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) people, who are twice as likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White women. AIAN community members often experience discrimination or racism and face barriers to care including higher rates of poverty and long distance to quality health care services. The communications assets for these audiences were developed to reflect the strength and diversity of AIAN communities and are based on their specific guidance and feedback. 

CDC worked with the National Indian Health Board to host discussion sessions open to all AIAN individuals and consulted other American Indian colleagues and advisors in the production of these assets.

Resources include:

• Video testimonials from American Indian women who experienced pregnancy-related complications. One of the participants noted, “This video speaks volumes. I am so satisfied and grateful that my story will be shared.”
• Conversation guides, palm cards and posters that help AIAN pregnant and postpartum people and their circles of support recognize urgent maternal warning signs and encourage them to seek the care they need.
• Materials to support healthcare professionals who serve AIAN communities in their delivery of respectful, culturally appropriate care.

It is quite touching, and indeed I am a little tearful, that I have been able to witness a nationwide campaign targeting American Indian and Alaska Native women through the Hear Her campaign. As you know, very little data exists on our population for a number of reasons, but essentially, the overwhelming message is that our voices and experiences are not important. The Hear Her campaign was an action that contradicts those messages. Our voices are important. -- Janelle Palacious, PhD, CNM (Salish & Kootenai), American Indian nurse midwife

The campaign team is utilizing digital and social media, including AIAN serving channels, to further the reach of these new resources. 

Learn more about the campaign and available resources at CDC.gov/HearHer/AIAN. 

Hear Her® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.