Pennsylvania has launched the nation\u2019s first apprenticeship program to train doulas to support their clients before, during and after childbirth. The Pennsylvania Statewide Registered Doula Apprenticeship Program will formalize doula training across the state and increase the maternal healthcare workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking with a doula connects pregnant women with a skilled advocate and advisor through pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum \u2014 an ally who can help navigate the many changes that occur during pregnancy, prepare for and assist through delivery, and help identify when problems arise and additional supports are necessary,\u201d said Val Arkoosh, Secretary of Pennsylvania\u2019s Department of Health and Human Services. \u201cDoulas help ensure mothers and their babies have a safe and empowering birth experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doulas are non-medical professionals who provide physical, emotional and informational support to a person before, during and after major life events such as giving birth.<\/p>\n
\u201cA doula is providing educational support, informational support, emotional support, and advocacy,\u201d said Gerria Coffee, founder of Genesis Birth Services and president of the Pennsylvania Doula Commission. \u201cHaving a doula present is another set of eyes, it’s another set of ears. It’s helping to prepare families, helping families to know what questions to ask, how to identify a physician or a practice that’s best suited for them and their needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania\u2019s year-long apprenticeship program combines structured classroom instruction, supervised clinical experience and professional development, according to state officials. The program includes eight weeks of online training, a 16-module doula school with certified trainers, a two-day in-person training where apprentices learn comfort measures, childbirth education, signs of labor and other practices.<\/p>\n
Those in the program will also receive a subscription to Evidence Based Birth, which offers continuing education courses and the latest field research.<\/p>\n
Applications for the program opened earlier this month through the Lancaster-based Patients R Waiting<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a physician, I have seen the value of having doulas as part of the care team to help patients feel heard, supported, and empowered throughout their birth experience,\u201d said Patients R Waiting Founder Dr. Sharee Livingston. \u201cBy investing in a trained and supported doula workforce, we can strengthen our maternal health system and work toward more equitable birth outcomes for families across Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n Research shows that doula support improves delivery outcomes by reducing the rate of preterm births and labor duration. Hemorrhage complications are among the leading causes of maternal mortality<\/a> in Pennsylvania, most often associated with cesarean births. Doulas have been shown to reduce<\/a> the rate of cesarean births by nearly 53%.<\/p>\n