Maternal Health Woes Prompting States to Turn to Doula Care

State Medicaid programs are increasingly turning to doula services to help tackle the maternal health crisis, but low reimbursement rates may risk undercutting tangible progress.

Medicaid programs in at least 15 states plus the District of Columbia have implemented doula services or are in the process of doing so. Doulas “are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to clients before, during, and shortly after childbirth,” according to DONA International, America’s largest doula-certifying organization.

The US boasts some of the worst maternal health outcomes in the developed world. According to the CDC, “non-Hispanic Black women ...