Nadia Care Raises $12M to Combat U.S. Maternal Health Crisis

WASHINGTON – March 16, 2026 – Nadia Care, a maternal health company dedicated to reshaping care for mothers, announced today it has secured $12 million in a new funding round. The investment, led by healthcare investment platform Valtruis and a major national payer, is earmarked to expand the company's community-centered, hybrid care model to more families across the United States.

The funding round also saw participation from existing investors First Trust Capital Partners and RH Capital, an impact fund focused on women's health equity. This capital infusion marks a significant milestone for the company, formerly known as Cayaba Care, as it builds on its successful partnerships with Medicaid plans in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Tennessee—regions critically in need of maternal health interventions.

“Everyone deserves support during pregnancy and beyond, and in our existing healthcare system, too few people get it,” said Adaeze Enekwechi, PhD, MPP, CEO of Nadia Care. “Nadia Care is on a mission to support mothers and families, and this investment, on the heels of our recent expansion and proven results, is a vote of confidence in our approach — a new kind of maternal care experience that is built on trust, empathy, and community.”

A New Model for a Deepening Crisis

The investment arrives at a pivotal moment for maternal health in the United States. The nation faces a deepening crisis, with maternal mortality and morbidity rates that far exceed those of other high-income countries. The U.S. maternal mortality rate stood at 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024, but this figure masks profound and persistent racial disparities.

For Black mothers, the crisis is exponentially worse. Data shows the maternal mortality rate for Black women is nearly three times that of White women, at a staggering 44.8 deaths per 100,000 live births. These alarming statistics are driven by a complex web of factors, including social determinants of health, underlying chronic conditions, and systemic inequities that create significant barriers to consistent, high-quality care.

Nadia Care aims to directly address these gaps with a model that goes beyond the traditional confines of a doctor's office. The company provides a hybrid of in-home and virtual support, deploying a multidisciplinary team that includes Maternity Navigators, registered nurses, and doulas to work alongside a mother's existing obstetric providers.

The Anatomy of Community-Centered Care

The core of Nadia Care's strategy is bringing care to mothers where they are. This “wraparound” service model is designed to provide continuous support through every stage of pregnancy and the crucial postpartum period. Services include comprehensive care coordination, help with signing up for and navigating benefits, lactation and nutrition counseling, and vital prenatal and new parent education.

By embedding care within the community, the model fosters trust and addresses non-clinical needs—like food or housing insecurity—that can dramatically impact a mother's and baby's health. The results reported by the company from its work with approximately 4,000 members suggest this high-touch approach is highly effective. Nadia Care has documented a:

• 60 percent reduction in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) days
• 47 percent reduction in low birth weight rates
• 38 percent lower rate of preterm births
• 25 percent decrease in member emergency room visits

While these statistics are company-reported, they align with a growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of community-based interventions and doula support in improving birth outcomes. Such models are increasingly seen as essential tools for closing the stark racial and socioeconomic gaps in maternal health.

The Business of Better Outcomes

The investment from firms like Valtruis and RH Capital highlights a significant shift in healthcare investment strategy, where improving health equity is now seen as a viable and compelling business case. Valtruis, built by the private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, focuses specifically on companies that can deliver value-based care—a model that prioritizes better health outcomes and lower overall costs.

“Nadia Care is challenging the status quo of how maternal care is delivered, stepping in to fill a major gap for mothers and families with care directly from their communities,” said Anna Haghgooie, Managing Director at Valtruis. “When you pair that kind of connection with wraparound care and technology, you see improved health outcomes and lower total costs. We’re proud to support the Nadia Care team in this exciting next step of their journey.”

RH Capital’s participation further underscores this trend. As an impact-first venture fund, it invests in companies that can generate both a financial return and a measurable social impact, particularly for low-income women and communities of color. The investment in Nadia Care signals a belief that addressing the maternal health crisis is not only a moral imperative but also a sustainable market opportunity by reducing expensive, negative outcomes like premature births and lengthy NICU stays.

Targeting the Epicenters of Need

Nadia Care’s expansion plans are strategically focused on Washington D.C., Maryland, and Tennessee—three areas where the maternal health crisis is particularly acute.

In Tennessee, the need is stark. The state held the highest maternal mortality rate in the country from 2018-2022, at 41.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, with an estimated 76% of those deaths being preventable. The state has struggled with high rates of mental health conditions and substance use disorders contributing to pregnancy-related deaths.

Washington D.C. has also long been a hotspot for maternal health disparities. The city received an 'F' grade from the March of Dimes in its 2025 Report Card for its high preterm birth rate of 11.8%. The disparity is even more pronounced along racial lines, with Black mothers experiencing a preterm birth rate of 14.5% compared to 7.0% for White mothers. In areas like Wards 7 and 8, rates of inadequate prenatal care are alarmingly high.

In Maryland, severe maternal morbidity (SMM)—life-threatening complications during or after childbirth—is a major concern. The state’s SMM rate is above the national average, and non-Hispanic Black women are disproportionately affected, accounting for 44% of all SMM events despite representing only 28% of live births.

By entering these markets, Nadia Care is positioning its proven model to make a tangible impact where it is most desperately needed. The expansion represents a critical step in scaling a solution that could set a new national standard for how to support mothers, improve health equity, and ultimately save lives.