Definition: Doulas are trained lay people who provide continuous support during a woman's labor.
They have been shown in some studies (Scott, 1999, Klaus, 1997) to:
Improve obstetric outcomes:
Shorter labor
Decreased need for anesthesia
Decreased operative deliveries
Decreased C-sections
Increased breast feeding rates
Decreased anxiety and depression postpartum
Your patients may want to discuss the use of a doula with you during their prenatal care. If so, you may find the references above helpful.