Doula Accessibility Impacts Family Health

Generous donors make it possible for The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital to provide doula scholarships to patients through BJC HealthCare. These scholarships support birthing families who desire the physical and emotional support of a doula but face financial barriers in accessing them.

Doula Impact on Healthy Families

BJC partners with three community-based doula organizations: Jamaa Birth Village, Midwest Doula Fund, and St. Louis Doula Project. Since March 2024, BJC has connected 33 families to doula services, 22 of which reside in St. Louis Promise Zone zip codes where health care access and disparities are greater.

This financial support is part of a system-wide strategy at BJC to improve infant and maternal health outcomes in the community providing the culturally appropriate, holistic clinical care everyone deserves. Specifically, donors supported:

• A mother with a history of cesarian sections, hypertension, and a prenatal kidney infection who was on the cusp of a job change. Her doula helped her navigate these unique circumstances and provided her with extensive postpartum support as she recovered.
• A birthing person who lacked a local support system during the birth of their fourth child. A doula assisted with the birth and provided breastfeeding guidance.
• A mother from a low-income household with no paid leave from work. With the support of her doula, she received her desired birth outcome and personalized care during the birth of her child.

Evidence demonstrates that community-based doulas influence health outcomes for pregnant people and their infants when integrated into the clinical care space by serving as personal health advocates. In this way, doulas improve the health outcomes and well-being of moms and moms-to-be by reducing Cesarean deliveries, limiting the use of instrument-assisted births, decreasing pre-term and underweight babies, increasing breastfeeding, and reducing maternal and infant mortality.

Funding Gaps

In addition to supporting birthing families, philanthropic support for this program ensures the doulas are compensated for providing their essential services. Prior to legislation passing in October 2024 requiring Medicaid to reimburse doula services, many providers were not compensated for their services.

Even with a Medicaid expansion in 2024, doula scholarships continue to provide critical support to those with private insurance that does not reimburse doula services. Doula care is not typically covered by private insurers and can cost the individual $700 to $1,500 per birth. In addition to advocating for private insurers to include doula care in coverage, BJC is also proactively integrating doula service into the model of care at BJC birthing hospitals. 

Improving Outcomes

Compassionate individuals who support this work through the Foundation ensure every birthing person receives the birthing experience and personalized support they deserve. These community partnerships are vital to ending health disparities and support a healthier future for all.

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