The non-medical, emotional and physical support of a trained laywoman (called 'doula') during labor and delivery has been shown to drastically improve labor and birth outcomes for the mother and the newborn. Outcomes affected include decreased cesarean rate, decreased use of labor augmentation and analgesic drugs and early and late psychosocial benefits such as decreased depression and increased positive feelings about the birth experience. Due to cultural and language barriers, Latina mothers may be especially prone to lowered birth outcomes and increased medical interventions. In this program the support role will be filled by women who have experienced birth or have an interest in providing comfort to birthing women but may not have formal training or education. The use of such community health workers to convey health messages is an effective strategy in Latino communities. This program will use this community partnership format to try to improve birth outcomes for Latina women through the use of community women as doulas. This new program involves developing and implementing a doula training program specifically for an urban maternal and child health clinic that serves pregnant Latinas. The impact of community health worker doulas will be assessed through postpartum visits to the pregnant women who received doula care and a possible control group. Preliminary results of the program development and implementation results will be presented at the APHA convention.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to: 1. recognize the role of a doula in childbirth 2. list the ways doulas improve maternal experience and infant birth outcomes 3. describe the evolution of the social component of childbirth 4. list barriers specific to Latina mothers in childbirth 5. articulate the importance of culturally tailored programs 6. develop a culturally tailored doula training program
Keywords: Latinas, Pregnancy Outcomes
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.