Grassroots strategies for promoting maternal and infant health

For the past four years, grassroots organizing efforts in Rhode Island have been directed toward improving maternal and infant health. Coalitions of consumer organizations, health care providers, and activists have achieved important legislative initiatives, such as health insurance for uninsured pregnant women and promotion of midwifery services. This article examines the processes involved in organizing for improved maternal and infant health care, the dynamics involved in achieving a particular outcome, and the ways in which grassroots mobilization can affect public policy and contribute toward improved maternal and infant health.