Swedish women's experiences of doula support during childbirth.

Evaluation of trained volunteer doula services for disadvantaged women in five areas in England: women's experiences.

Disadvantaged childbearing women experience barriers to accessing health and social care services and face greater risk of adverse medical, social and emotional outcomes. Support from doulas (trained lay women) has been identified as a way to improve outcomes; however, in the UK doula support is usually paid-for privately by the individual, limiting access among disadvantaged groups. As part of...

Understanding Factors That Influence Adolescent Mothers' Doula Use: A Qualitative Study.

In this study, we examined factors that influenced doula use among adolescent mothers in a community-based childbirth education and doula program. We used a qualitative case study approach to gather perspectives from adolescent mothers and doulas through semistructured interviews, field observations, and a focus group. These women collectively revealed multiple themes related to doula use among...

Explaining the Childbirth Experience with the Support of a Doula in an Iranian Setting: A Qualitative Study

‘The greatest feeling you get, knowing you have made a big difference’: survey findings on the motivation and experiences of trained volunteer doulas in England

BACKGROUND Support from a doula is known to have physical and emotional benefits for mothers, but there is little evidence about the experiences of volunteer doulas. This research aimed to understand the motivation and experiences of volunteer doulas who have been trained to support women during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. METHODS A postal questionnaire survey was sent to volun...

Potential benefits of increased access to doula support during childbirth.

OBJECTIVES The annual costs of US maternity-related hospitalizations exceed $27 billion. Continuous labor support from a trained doula is associated with improved outcomes and potential cost savings. This study aimed to document the relationship between doula support, desire for doula support, and cesarean delivery, distinguishing cesarean deliveries without a definitive medical indication. S...