Evidence shows that doulas improve childbirth outcomes: a lot.
Women that use doulas have higher birth weight babies, have less cesareans, use less medication, and feel less negative about childbirth…just to name a few differences that receiving doula care can make.
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Impact of Doulas on Healthy Birth Outcomes
While not every hospital employs doulas, the need exists for the continuous care that doulas provide for women in labor. Hospitals are using different methods to provide doula care to laboring patients such as implementing volunteer doula programs.
Many families hire doulas privately to assist them and be by their side when they give birth in the hospital, at a birthing center, or even for a planned homebirth. Doulas are becoming so popular that pregnant women are finding the need to lock in the most talented doulas during their first trimester of pregnancy to guarantee their services.
Some insurance companies cover the services of doulas, but it is predicted that in the near future doula care will be an integrated part of maternity care. Given the incredible impact doula care has upon labor it is a wonder why doula care has not been standardly available to every pregnant women. Doulas overall cost less than many medical interventions and have better results at helping women feel good about their birth experience.