The Role of Culturally Congruent Community-based Doula Services in Improving Key Birth Outcomes in Kansas City

by Ria Hegde, BA; H. Ellis McCormick, BA; Hakima Payne, MSN, RN; Abigail R. Barker, PhD | November 2022

This brief reports on data from Uzazi Village, a Kansas City organization providing culturally congruent, community-based doula services since 2012. Improvements in three key health outcomes (gestational age, birthweight, and APGAR scores) were associated with doula services provided by Uzazi Village, in comparison to Kansas City birth outcome data for the same ZIP codes. This evidence can help inform the policy discussion regarding the addition of Medicaid coverage for doula services in Missouri.