Thomas MP, Ammann G, Onyebeke C, Gomez TK, Lobis S, Li W, Huynh M. Birth equity on the front lines: Impact of a community-based doula program in Brooklyn, NY. Birth. 2023 Mar;50(1):138-150. doi: 10.1111/birt.12701. Epub 2023 Jan 10. PMID: 36625505.
Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Enabling Services
Intervention Description: Using a matched cohort design, birth certificate records for By My Side participants from 2010 through 2017 (n = 603) were each matched to three controls who also lived in the program area (n = 1809). Controls were matched on maternal age, race/ethnicity, education level, and trimester of prenatal- care ini-tiation, using the simple random sampling method.
Intervention Results: By My Side participants had lower odds of having a preterm birth (5.6% vs 11.9%, P< .0001) or a low- birthweight baby (5.8% vs 9.7%, P= .0031) than controls. There was no statistically significant difference in the odds of cesarean delivery.
Conclusion: Participation in the By My Side Birth Support Program was associ-ated with lower odds of preterm birth and low birthweight for participants, who were predominantly Black and Hispanic. Investing in doula services is an im-portant way to address birth inequities among higher risk populations such as birthing people of color and those living in poverty. It could also help shape a new vision of the maternal- health system, placing the needs and well- being of birthing people at the center.KEYWORDSbirth justice, doula support, health equity, Healthy Start, low birthweight, preterm birth
Study Design: Quasi-experimental, matched cohort design
Setting: Community-based
Population of Focus: Pregnant individuals who live in Brooklyn New York and meet the income-eligibility requirements for the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program (WIC)
Sample Size: 2400
Age Range: 18-40
Access Abstract