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The benefits are many...

Eleven studies showed the following effects of doula support:

Effects on Birth Outcomes:

• 50% decrease in cesarean section
• 25% decrease in length of labor
• 30% decrease in assisted delivery (use of forceps)
• 40% decrease in the use of synthetic oxytocin to augment labor
• 60% decrease in epidural use
• 30% decrease in the use of narcotic pain medication*

*Research from Mothering the Mother by Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, 1993.

Effects on the Mother:

• Greater satisfaction with their birth experience.
• More positive assessments of their babies.
• Less postpartum depression.

Effects on the Baby:

• Babies have shorter hospital stays with fewer admissions to special care nurseries.
• Babies breast feed more easily.
• Mothers are more affectionate to their babies postpartum.

Effects on the Health Care System:

• The cost of obstetrical care is dramatically reduced.
• Women are pleased with the personalized care doulas offer.

Benefits of Continuous Labor Support:

The Cochrane Library is a group that provides independent high-quality evidence for health care decision making. In January of 2011 by Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, Weston J. released an updated systematic review of continuous support during labor.

The study reports that after examining 21 trials involving over 15,000 women, the review authors found that women who received continuous support during labor:

• were more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth
• were less likely to have intrapartum analgesia (i.e. an epidural)
• were less likely to report dissatisfaction with their labors
• had shorter labors
• were more likely to give birth without cesarean, vacuum, or forceps
• were less likely to have regional analgesia
• were less likely to have babies with a low 5-minute Apgar score

The most important outcomes of the 2011 study on continuous support in labor showed that women who use doulas have:

• 28% fewer cesareans
• 31% fewer oxytocin augmented labors
• 9% less use of any pain medications
• 34% less likely to rate birth experience poorly

Bottom Line: Continuous support during labor has clinically meaningful benefits for women and infants and no known harm. All women should have support throughout labor and birth.

http://www.childbirthconnection.org/pdfs/CochraneDatabaseSystRev.pdf

The Benefit of continuous support in labor is recognized by:

• The World Health Organization
• The Medical Leadership Council (an organization of over 1200 U.S. hospitals)
• The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada