Doula Services Added to Horizon Health Plans

New Jersey has one of the highest maternal death rates in the country.

To put this in perspective, a Black mother in NJ is seven times more likely than a white mother to die from maternity-related complications. And a Black baby is over three times more likely than a white baby to die before their first birthday. Let those facts sink in. One way we provide mothers and children of all races and ethnicities with better care is by adding doula services to our Horizon health plans.

What is a doula?

A doula is a trained companion who supports another person through a significant health-related experience such as childbirth or end-of-life care. A doula is not a health care professional.

A birth doula advocates for the mother, encouraging and helping her obtain specific goals she might have for the birth of her child.

Women who received continuous support by a birth doula were found to have shorter labors by about 40 minutes and their babies were less likely to have low Apgar scores at birth.

Benefits of using a birth doula:

• 31% decrease in the use of Pitocin
• 28% decrease in the risk of a C-section
• 12% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth
• 9% decrease in the use of any medicines for pain relief
• 14% decrease in the risk of newborns being admitted to a special care nursery
• 34% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience

Sources:
Official Site of The State of New Jersey. Nurture NJ. Retrieved May 9, 2022 from https://nj.gov/governor/admin/fl/nurturenj.shtml
Evidence Based Birth. Evidence on: Doulas. Retrieved May 9, 2022 from https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/
Mama In The Now. 36 Amazing Facts About Doulas. Retrieved May 9, 2022 from https://mamainthenow.com/doulas/

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ECN006484 (0522)