New Doula Statistics
Originally published at Sacred Pathways Doula Services. Please leave any comments there.
Courtesy of International Doula, Volume 17…
Background - doulas are asked to submit data collection forms on all our births. This is to help gather statistics for use in many things including education and changing the maternity care in the US. Here are a few things that really interesting from this issue!
Only .9% of doulas are covered by insurance or medicaid. Yet our presence reduces the risk of c-sections, you would think insurance companies would -want- that!
44.9% of moms got the epidural. Again, less than the national average, and also interesting because there is a preconception that if you get an epidural there is no place for a doula. We do much more than physical comfort support and relief.
13.6% of doula attended births were unplanned C/S. We’re meeting the WHO’s recommended 10-15%! The national average is over 33% now… look what having a doula in attendance can do! Insurance companies…imagine the savings! 20,000 for a c-section or 7-10k for the birth plus an additional $500 for a doula? Hmmm…
95.7% of babies were born with no immediate health concerns. When you consider that we are one of the last countries in neo-natal and maternal mortality among developed countries, this is fantastic!
Average length of mother’s perception of labor was 14.2 hours, doula’s average of her labor was 9.5 hours.