Inter-American Development Bank
facebook
twitter
youtube
linkedin
instagram
Abierto al públicoBeyond BordersCaribbean Development TrendsCiudades SosteniblesEnergía para el FuturoEnfoque EducaciónFactor TrabajoGente SaludableGestión fiscalGobernarteIdeas MatterIdeas que CuentanIdeaçãoImpactoIndustrias CreativasLa Maleta AbiertaMoviliblogMás Allá de las FronterasNegocios SosteniblesPrimeros PasosPuntos sobre la iSeguridad CiudadanaSostenibilidadVolvamos a la fuente¿Y si hablamos de igualdad?Home
Citizen Security and Justice Creative Industries Development Effectiveness Early Childhood Development Education Energy Envirnment. Climate Change and Safeguards Fiscal policy and management Gender and Diversity Health Labor and pensions Open Knowledge Public management Science, Technology and Innovation  Trade and Regional Integration Urban Development and Housing Water and Sanitation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Gente Saludable

IDB

  • HOME
  • CATEGORIES
    • Aging and Dependency
    • Courses and Seminars
    • Digital Transformation
    • Public health and nutrition
    • Healthy Lifestyle
    • Health services
    • Health Spending and Financing
    • Women’s and Children’s Health
  • authors
  • English
    • Spanish
    • Portuguese
Considering Doulas to support you in childbirth and beyond

Why Do Some Women Want Doulas to Accompany Them During Childbirth?

October 30, 2017 por Julia Johannsen 1 Comment


Among future parents, the “doula” – a Greek word that means “servant woman” or “women’s servant” – is increasingly popular. Who are doulas and what accounts for their popularity? A doula is someone who provides the support and understanding necessary to make childbirth an enriching and personalized experience. In many countries doulas meet a need that traditional maternity services cannot.

Not surprisingly, for Margarita Anderson, this is “the most incredible and gratifying profession in the world.” And to be a doula is something to be taken seriously: their training certifies them to accompany deliveries and trains them to provide appropriate information during pregnancy, delivery, and following childbirth. In addition, the doula provides physical and emotional support during all these stages, both to mothers as well as their families. Although doulas are not specifically health professionals and are neither trained nor authorized to make medical decisions or conduct clinical procedures, their role complements that of health personnel during the delivery and has undeniable benefits for mothers and their babies.

Popularizing New Trends or Rediscovering Old Practices?

Historically, women have given birth in the company of other experienced women in the family or the community. This custom, handled by what are called midwives or traditional birth attendants, continues to be common among many indigenous populations in Latin America and other parts of the world. High rates of maternal and neonatal mortality that persist among these populations have sometimes been attributed to what is considered the informal support provided by these persons. In reality, those rates are generally due to economic and social exclusion, the absence of adequate sanitary conditions and nearby medical personnel, or lack of access to emergency services that can prevent or mitigate possible complications.

In those countries where women give birth in hospitals, health centers, maternity hospitals, or in their own homes but with emergency services nearby, continuous support is provided by nurse auxiliaries, licensed obstetricians, doulas, or even traditional midwives. Doulas and traditional midwives, in contrast to nurse auxiliaries and licensed obstetricians, are neither physicians nor specialists, but they are trained in deliveries. And in all cases, they use their experience and skills to carry out their mission to calm and reassure the expecting mother in order to ensure the best possible experience along the path to childbirth.

The practice of turning to doulas started in the United States and has extended into Latin America, primarily in response to the need for continuous support – not necessarily medical support, but support from someone experienced. This is due to the fact that basic clinical care in countries like Ecuador and Bolivia is handled by nursing professionals, while deliveries in general are handled by medical specialists who have barely been present during the phases prior to the moment of delivery.

The situation is different in the European Union and in some Latin American countries such as Chile or Peru, where the public health system designates midwives as the main source of care for vaginal births without complications, given the credentials of these midwives as health professionals who specialize in pregnancy, birth and post-partum care, reproductive health, and neonatal care. Medical specialists, such as obstetrician-gynecologists or perinatologists, only intervene in the event of complications or when there is a need for a Caesarian section.

The Fundamental Role of Doulas

During pregnancies, doulas provide pertinent information, help clarify the role of the woman’s partner in the delivery, try to reduce fear about the physical pain involved in delivery and share nonmedical techniques to mitigate it, and address logistical questions as basic as what women should have in their suitcase when it’s time to go to the hospital. During labor and delivery, they provide emotional support through their constant presence and encouragement, in addition to offering concrete information about what is happening and what is going to happen next.

Doulas also alleviate women’s physical pain using such techniques as massages and hot baths, indicating positions that are more comfortable, and promoting mobility. After the birth, they frequently facilitate the bonding process between parents and newborns, help with the initiation of breastfeeding, and offer practical recommendations and advice about care for the baby upon returning to the home. Their role can thus have significant effects in contributing to a healthy birth, without replacing other aspects of the process that ensure a safe birth.

Is It a Feasible Option?

In most of the region, the service of a doula is considered a private expense and hospitals, public or private, can choose not to allow the presence of a doula. In Ecuador, where Margarita works, doulas can earn $50 per pre-natal and post-natal session and up to $250 during the delivery itself, for a total of $500. In the United States, these services are generally not included in hospital packages and the costs can range between $500 and $3,500.

The lack of social and legislative support in some countries stands in contrast to scientific evidence that demonstrates the beneficial effects of continuous support from a doula, which include a greater tendency for spontaneous births, that is, vaginal births without a need for induction, forceps, or Caesarian section. In addition, women who receive continuous support tend to take less medication, have deliveries that take less time, and have a more positive view of their childbirth experience.

Also in these cases, the women’s babies generally have a lower propensity to have low five-minute Apgar test scores, and the quality and results of care as well as the overall care experience for such a unique event improves. Although every case is different and it is important to use a doula who is properly qualified, it is worth considering this option as an element of continuous support on the path toward maternity.

Would you consider using a doula to accompany your delivery? What has been your experience with companions during pregnancy and delivery? Is this an option in your country? Tell us in the comments section below or by mentioning @BIDgente on Twitter.

Julia Johannsen is a Social Protection Specialist with the Inter-American Development Banks’s Division of Social Protection and Health in Ecuador.

Lee en español.


Filed Under: Healthy Lifestyle, Uncategorized, Women's and Children's Health Tagged With: América Latina, Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, BID

Julia Johannsen

Julia Johannsen es la representante del Grupo BID en Bolivia. Tiene una maestría y un Doctorado en Economía Agrícola de la Universidad de Göttingen en Alemania, con especializaciones en medición de pobreza y microeconomía. Se incorporó al Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo en año 2008 como joven profesional y fue nombrada Especialista del Sector Social ese mismo año. Desde entonces trabajó en la División de Protección Social y Salud del Sector Social en la sede del BID en Washington, D.C., y en dos oficinas de país, donde ha liderado el diálogo y trabajo operativo con contrapartes sobre diferentes temas de política pública, liderando varios equipos multisectoriales al interior del Banco y presentando al Directorio una variedad de herramientas financieras del BID. Fue Especialista Senior en Bolivia del año 2010 al 2015, posteriormente se desempeñó como Especialista Líder Sectorial en Ecuador desde 2015 hasta 2021 y a partir del 1ro de septiembre de 2021 asumió el cargo de representante del Grupo BID en Bolivia, siendo la segunda representante mujer en ese país.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Subscribe

Search

Health

Latin American and Caribbean countries face multiple challenges to provide quality healthcare for their citizens. In this blog, IDB Specialists and international experts discuss current health issues and hope to build a dynamic dialogue through your comments.

Similar Posts

  • Professional Midwives to the Rescue
  • Babies’ Health Starts before Pregnancy
  • Reducing Complications for Pregnant Women with Diabetes in Trinidad and Tobago
  • Chronic Pain: Another Gender Gap Affecting Women
  • Health without Borders on the Inca Trail

Footer

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo
facebook
twitter
youtube
youtube
youtube

    Blog posts written by Bank employees:

    Copyright © Inter-American Development Bank ("IDB"). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons IGO 3.0 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives. (CC-IGO 3.0 BY-NC-ND) license and may be reproduced with attribution to the IDB and for any non-commercial purpose. No derivative work is allowed. Any dispute related to the use of the works of the IDB that cannot be settled amicably shall be submitted to arbitration pursuant to the UNCITRAL rules. The use of the IDB's name for any purpose other than for attribution, and the use of IDB's logo shall be subject to a separate written license agreement between the IDB and the user and is not authorized as part of this CC- IGO license. Note that link provided above includes additional terms and conditions of the license.


    For blogs written by external parties:

    For questions concerning copyright for authors that are not IADB employees please complete the contact form for this blog.

    The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IDB, its Board of Directors, or the countries they represent.

    Attribution: in addition to giving attribution to the respective author and copyright owner, as appropriate, we would appreciate if you could include a link that remits back the IDB Blogs website.



    Privacy Policy

    Derechos de autor © 2025 · Magazine Pro en Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo

    Aviso Legal

    Las opiniones expresadas en estos blogs son las de los autores y no necesariamente reflejan las opiniones del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, sus directivas, la Asamblea de Gobernadores o sus países miembros.

    facebook
    twitter
    youtube
    This site uses cookies to optimize functionality and give you the best possible experience. If you continue to navigate this website beyond this page, cookies will be placed on your browser.
    To learn more about cookies, click here
    X
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT