A hospital-based doula program recruits community members to provide culturally responsive pregnancy, birth, and postpartum support to underserved populations.

Background

Persistent disparities exist in maternal health outcomes, which may be improved by offering culturally responsive support during pregnancy and childbirth. Boston Medical Center (BMC) created the Birth Sisters program to provide continuous prenatal, labor, delivery, and postpartum support through doulas recruited from the communities served by the hospital. This resource describes the development of the program, its community-based workforce model, and its role in improving maternal health outcomes and health care career opportunities.

About This Resource

Birth Sisters program, a hospital-based doula model established to support birthing people from underserved communities, recruits and employs community members who often share the cultural, linguistic, and lived experiences of patients. The article highlights the program’s goals of improving patient support during pregnancy and childbirth, strengthening connections between health care systems and communities, and creating pathways into health care careers, such as nursing and midwifery. It also discusses the potential sustainability of hospital-based doula services through institutional support and emerging Medicaid reimbursement opportunities.

Program/Policy Takeaways

Health systems, maternal health providers, and policymakers may benefit from reviewing this model as they consider strategies to improve maternal and birth outcomes. Integrating doulas into maternity care teams and supporting sustainable financing mechanisms may strengthen patient support and workforce development.