NYC's doula initiative will not be impacted by cuts to Medicaid, Mayor Eric Adams vows
In light of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" passing last week, there are concerns over cuts to Medicaid.
Mayor Eric Adams is assuring New Yorkers one program will not be touched. In fact, the city is taking steps to expand an initiative that started three years ago to improve maternal health outcomes for Black and Hispanic women.
What is a doula's purpose?
Lively Mymouna was born at the end of May. Lively was her mother's third child, but only her first where she had a doula, someone who is employed to provide guidance and support to a pregnant woman during labor.
"I go through continuous morning sickness, tired all the time, and it's good to have somebody you can talk to, you know, that gives you support," Fatou Gueye said. "Now, I call her 'sister.'"
Gueye was paired with doula Ropani Simbe through the city-wide doula initiative, which started in 2022, expanding access in disinvested neighborhoods. Simbe said she knows the need firsthand.
"About 10 years ago, I was pregnant with twin girls, and throughout the whole ordeal I didn't know anything about pregnancy," Simbe said. "And it's kind of unfortunate I ended up losing my twin daughters during labor."
NYC doula initiative has shown good results, Adams says
The city says studies have found that compared to white and non-Hispanic women, Black women were four times more likely to die of pregnancy complications, and six times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related cause like postpartum suicide or overdose.
"Most importantly, there have been no pregnancy-associated deaths for program participants, no deaths," the mayor said to applause on Monday in East Harlem.
Adams says last year the program exceeded its goal of serving 1,000 expecting moms a year, reaching 1,128 new clients, and that overall, there has been a 25% increase in doula coverage.
"We make sure women interested in the program go through intake triage and support, even if it takes longer to get a doula," Acting New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said.
Empowered births lead to safer outcomes, advocates say
One New York City center has a lactation room, which is open to everyone. However, it's also a room where clients who are homeless can meet with their doulas in private.
Theresa Lasbrey Peters helped deliver Jaela Simon-Banks' baby in April, naturally, as she wanted.
"I didn't know what a contraction felt like, but it definitely was an experience, and Theresa was there to guide me through it [and] remind me the overall goal, what I wanted to accomplish. And after 15 long hours, we were able to deliver my baby with no interventions," Simon-Banks said.
"That moment proved how powerful and resilient birthing people are and how they can be when supported," Peters added.
She said it's proof that empowered births lead to safer outcomes.
