Morehouse School of Medicine Wants to Train Doulas to Help Address Shortage of Maternal Health 

Bristeria Clark wanted a different birth outcome with her first child. However, due to complications in labor, she was rushed through the process of cesarian. In hindsight, she wished that she had a doula to help the birthing process and eventual outcome.

Clark was motivated to give other mothers the opportunity she didn’t have. Clark is part of Morehouse School of Medicine’s first cohort of rural Doulas, called Perinatal Patient Navigators. Georgia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country, and this program aims to reduce this. Morehouse School of Medicine funds the Perinatal Patient Navigator program by paying a training stipend and providing new graduates with starting salaries.

It’s also important for new mothers to have healthcare workers that look like them. One Georgia study found that when high-risk patients are matched with doulas from similar racial and ethnic backgrounds, it positively impacts the patient. Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy and labor than white women. Programs like the one created by Morehouse School of Medicine are vital in addressing the issue of black maternal mortality. The cohort is a small step towards improved maternal outcomes.

Congratulations to our first cohort of Perinatal Patient Navigators!

These rural #doulas have completed extensive training and are ready to advance #maternalhealth in southwest Georgia. 🌟

Learn about the Perinatal Patient Navigator Training Program: https://t.co/m35zNjrAlY pic.twitter.com/Fo9hJxAmcn

— Morehouse School of Medicine (@MSMEDU) July 12, 2024

Source