Community Doula Services for Low-Income Population and its Correlation to Hospital Re-admissions of Newborns

Abstract

This integrative literature review seeks to identify a correlation between an expectant mothers’ lack of familial support and lower socioeconomic status and their newborn baby’s hospital admission(s). Various journals and research studies demonstrate that when mothers have added support from community doulas, both mother and baby tend to have a more positive experience. Participants in the different studies included minority women under the age of 21 and women of lower socioeconomic status. A study conducted in rural Nepal showed that the mortality for newborn babies, specifically those with low birth weight (LBW) had sharply declined when they had home health visits from community health volunteers (Neupane et al., 2017). Furthermore, research has also shown that doula care during labor leads to improved obstetric outcomes, including shorter labors and less use of medical interventions (Hans, 2017). The University of Chicago Doula Project found that those of lower socioeconomic status who were partnered with and utilized doula services were more likely to embrace their responsibility as a new mother (Hans, 2017).