"Given the remarkable advancements we have made across nearly every aspect of health care in the last quarter century, it is shocking that women in the U.S. are more likely to suffer a pregnancy-related death today than in the 1990s. The danger is even greater for women of color."
- Dr. Susan R. Bailey, MD, Former President, American Medical Association

Founded in 2017 by Cessilye R. Smith, Abide Women’s Health Services exists to confront the maternal health crisis driven by systemic racism and poverty.

In October 2020, we opened our Easy Access™ Clinic in South Dallas—one of the most underserved communities in the nation, where systemic racism has fueled a maternal health crisis.

Here, the statistics are staggering:

Dallas has the highest percentage of residents living 185% below the poverty line of any U.S. city.
Nearly half of single mothers live in poverty, and more than one in three children lack consistent access to food and nutrition.
Over 27,000 residents work full-time yet still live in poverty.

These inequities show up in the most heartbreaking way: in our community, 7 out of every 1,000 babies do not survive their first year of life. The causes are complex—low birth weight, maternal complications, SIDS, and lack of adequate prenatal care—but the outcome is tragically clear.

Our Impact

At Abide, we are changing the story. Since opening our doors, we’ve seen outcomes that defy these statistics: zero maternal or infant deaths, preterm birth rates at half the national average, and more than $15,000 in scholarships awarded to student midwives, and, in partnership with Delighted to Doula, funding eight postpartum doula scholarships to serve families across South Dallas.

Quite simply—we are saving lives.

A Proven Model for Maternal Justice

Our Easy Access™ Clinic was birthed out of the vision of maternal justice pioneer Jennie Joseph, founder of Commonsense Childbirth and creator of The JJ Way®. This model ensures that no one is ever turned away, regardless of ability to pay, and that every birthing person deserves a healthy pregnancy, a safe birth, and a healthy baby. At Abide, we live out this vision daily, offering life-saving care that centers BIPOC families.

Thanks to the generosity of individual donors, foundations, and partners, we offer holistic, equitable, and judgment-free care at a low cost to the community. Despite being a young organization, our work has already gained national recognition—including a feature on ABC Nightline.

Clients receive care from a team of Black licensed medical providers, reflecting our conviction that providers should look like the families they serve. Research shows that Black babies are 50% more likely to survive when cared for by a Black provider—and we are putting that evidence into action.

Our Services

Services at our clinic include:

Pregnancy testing and confirmation
Glucose testing to manage gestational diabetes
Doppler and 4D ultrasound services
Urinalysis and urine screenings
Comprehensive 36-week OB panel
And more

A look at the future Abide Birth and Collective Care suite interior.
(Rendering by: Bryana Guy, Inside In Mind Interiors and Payal Bansal, Payal Bansal Design LLC)

Beyond the Clinic Walls

Looking ahead, we are preparing to build the Abide Birth and Collective Care Center, designed to expand our ability to provide equitable and compassionate maternal care.

To reach even more families, we recently launched the Abide Mobile Clinic, bringing maternal health services directly into neighborhoods across Dallas and Tarrant Counties. This expansion ensures that families in maternity care deserts are not left behind and receive the care they need—when and where they need it.

Abide Women's Health Services Mobile Clinic

(Photo credit: Melissa Moreira/311 Creative Company)

Your support fuels this work.

Through major funding campaigns like Give 8/28, North Texas Giving Day, Giving Tuesday, and the generosity of people like you, we are building a future where every family is seen, heard, and cared for.

Learn more and join us at www.abidewomen.org

The Abide Gathering: A Mission & Mingle Event