Pregnancy and childbirth can be bewildering under the best of circumstances. They are even more challenging for mothers who lack social support.
Houston’s HOPE Clinic has patients from various countries and offers services in dozens of languages. Some have no local relatives or community support networks. The health center teamed up with local non-profits to help pregnant women who wanted extra support as they approached childbirth.
HOPE faced a shortage of doulas who could help patients. Doulas are non-clinical caregivers who offer emotional and physical support to mothers before, during and after childbirth. Their presence during labor and delivery reduces the need for some medical interventions and increases overall satisfaction with the childbirth experience.
Health center staff knew from experience that patients had better results – and reported feeling better – when they could rely on someone who spoke their language for help.
"Maternal care is the cornerstone of a healthy community,” said Dr. Andrea Caracostis, Chief Executive Officer at HOPE. She noted that women are often the gatekeepers of a family's health. Pregnancy is a time to help moms address their medical needs. It is also an opportunity to educate them about continuing preventive care for their whole families, she said.
Facing a shortage of doulas available for direct hire, HOPE Clinic now refers patients to a local March of Dimes program. The project, called the Doula Expansion Program Throughout Houston, offers a doula training program. The program aims to increase the number of trained community-based doulas and offers free doula services to residents. Each doula-in-training supports a pregnant patient throughout their childbirth journey.
HOPE also hired a Certified Nurse Midwife who can refer patients to doula services and offer other maternal health care. This dual-provider approach maximizes impact by delivering comprehensive care and holistic support for expectant mothers.
The midwife helps identify patients who would most benefit from doula services and educates them on how to get professional support. "Informing our maternal patients about doulas and providing them with access to these free services has been essential in enhancing their healthcare and prenatal experience," said Mollie Gaitz, Maternal & Child Health Program Manager. "Many of our patients do not know what doulas are or how beneficial they can be during this critical time in their and their families' lives."
HOPE is one of 36 HRSA-supported health centers awarded Quality Improvement Fund–Maternal Health funding to improve maternal health and reduce racial and ethnic maternal health disparities.