Advancing the Affordable Care Act through community-based doula programs: Meeting the "triple aim" for women and infants

In accordance with the “triple aim” of the Affordable Care Act, labor and birth support by a trained doula is an evidence-based strategy to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, enhances patients’ experience of care, and has the potential to reduce unnecessary spending on unwanted and non-beneficial medical interventions. 

Doula care has been demonstrated to improve maternal and infant health outcomes including by reducing cesareans, increasing APGAR scores, improving patient satisfaction, and increasing the likelihood and longevity of breastfeeding.  Doula care supports women’s active engagement in maternity care decisions and fosters patient-centered care practices. Community-based doula programs targeted towards meeting the needs of underserved communities are particularly suited to addressing disparities in maternal and infant health by providing culturally competent, relationship-based, comprehensive support to women before, during, and immediately following labor and birth. 

Despite these benefits, few programs exist to ensure access to doula support for those facing the greatest maternal and infant health disparities - women of color, women in low-income communities, and women in underserved communities.

This session will explore the benefits of doula care in the context of the ACA with a focus on the potential impact in vulnerable communities; the unmet need for doula care in underserved communities; and existing community-based doula programs that offer promising models for expansion.