Benefits of a birth doula

---

In 2017, Bohren et al. published an updated Cochrane review on continuous support in childbirth. They combined the results of 26 trials with more than 15,000 people across 17 countries 

The researchers found that overall, continuous support during birth leads to a:

• 25% decrease in the risk of Cesarean; the largest effect was seen with a doula (39% decrease)*
• 8% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth; the largest effect was seen with a doula (15% increase)*
• 10% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief; the type of person providing continuous support did not make a difference
• Shorter labors by 41 minutes on average; there is no data on if the type of person providing continuous support makes a difference
• 38% decrease in the baby’s risk of a low five-minute Apgar score; there is no data on if the type of person providing continuous support makes a difference
• 31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience; this risk was reduced with continuous support provided by a doula or someone in their social network (family or friend), but not hospital staff

A great resource for information on birth, maternal and infant health is Evidence Based Birth®. They have organized an incredible amount of research on the topics and present it in depth as well as with just the highlights if a quick reference is needed. Visit https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ to check out all their resources.