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Revolutionary Doula Care: How It Can Transform Racial Disparities in Maternal Health!

Revolutionary Doula Care: How It Can Transform Racial Disparities in Maternal Health!

Unlocking the Potential of Doula Care to Address Racial Disparities in Maternal Health

In the realm of maternal health, racial disparities have long been a pressing issue. Black women in the United States face significantly higher risks of maternal mortality and severe morbidity compared to their White counterparts. While many factors contribute to these disparities, recent research highlights the critical role of structural racism. A promising solution lies in the expansion of doula care, which has been shown to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly for Black women.

The Power of Doula Care

Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to mothers before, during, and after childbirth. This support has been associated with a range of positive outcomes, including reduced rates of cesarean sections, preterm births, and postpartum depression. Importantly, doula care has been shown to improve maternal satisfaction and reduce disparities in birth outcomes.

Innovative Funding Strategies

Despite the proven benefits of doula care, access remains limited, particularly for low-income and marginalized communities. To address this, researchers have proposed innovative funding strategies, such as Pay for Success (PFS) and data-driven philanthropy. These approaches leverage public-private partnerships to expand access to doula care and address racial disparities in maternal health.

Encouraging Further Research

While the evidence supporting doula care is compelling, further research is needed to fully understand its impact on maternal mortality and severe morbidity. Practitioners are encouraged to explore these innovative funding strategies and advocate for the expansion of doula care in their communities. By doing so, they can play a crucial role in reducing racial disparities and improving maternal health outcomes.

To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Using Prevention Research to Reduce Racial Disparities in Health Through Innovative Funding Strategies: The Case of Doula Care.


Citation: Temple, J. A., & Varshney, N. (2023). Using prevention research to reduce racial disparities in health through innovative funding strategies: The case of doula care. Prevention Science, 13(8), 1108-1182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-023-01497-2
Marnee Brick, President, TinyEYE Therapy Services

Author's Note: Marnee Brick, TinyEYE President, and her team collaborate to create our blogs. They share their insights and expertise in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, Online Therapy Services and Academic Research.

Connect with Marnee on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest in Speech-Language Pathology and Online Therapy Services.

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