Doulas

Community-based doulas are nonmedical, unlicensed, trained professionals who provide emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing people during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. Community-based doulas differ from lay and other birth doulas because they are specifically trained to provide culturally sensitive care and focus on those who are more likely to experience discrimination in traditional healthcare settings.

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2024 Roadmap Thumbnail: Close-up of smiling baby

2024 Roadmap Profile: Community-Based Doulas

Strong causal evidence of community-based doula programs has demonstrated that doula support increases attendance at medical appointments and education classes, encourages responsive parenting behaviors, and enhances child health and developmental outcomes such as breastfeeding initiation rates and safe sleep practices.

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Webinar Recording: Healthy Babies and Parents: How States Can Leverage Doulas to Improve Outcomes

This webinar followed our virtual 2023 National Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit. At the Summit, we explained why we added community-based doulas to our Roadmap—this webinar took a deeper dive into the issue.

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State Policy Lever Checklist: Community-Based Doulas

Rigorous research indicates that community-based doula services are an effective strategy to improve healthy birth outcomes. This checklist covers the policy levers that states may use to increase access to doulas.

Related Resources

State policy progress on community-based doulas in 2024

Community-based doulas are trained social service professionals who provide non-clinical emotional, physical, and informational support to expectant parents, starting during pregnancy and continuing throughout the postpartum period. Community-based doulas are one of 12 evidence-based policies

2024 National Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit

Did you miss the Summit? Click here to access the full recording.

2024 Prenatal-to-3 Legislative Highlights

With most legislatures adjourned for the year, we recap the 2024 action on state policies to support children and families. So far this year, lawmakers throughout the country debated—and many passed—legislation that aligns with four key components of the prenatal-to-3 system of care.
Colorado legislature

June Update: Prenatal-to-3 State Legislative Trends

Though most legislative sessions have adjourned, lawmakers and advocates across the country continue to advance efforts to support children and families. A lot can happen at the tail end of a legislative session, as Colorado

State Policies to Promote Equity in Healthy Perinatal Outcomes: A Summary of the Evidence 

Barriers to health care, high-quality health insurance, and parental leave work together to leave families and children vulnerable during the perinatal period. These barriers can shape life-long outcomes, particularly for children from historically marginalized groups.

State Policy Solutions to Reduce Child Maltreatment: A Summary of the Evidence

Did you know state policies play an important role in reducing child maltreatment? Rapid neurological development makes children especially susceptible to harmful stressors, such as maltreatment, during the prenatal-to-3 period. Though we may expect prevention
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