UPMC in Erie expanding Doula program for expecting mothers

Mothers-to-be are getting more specialty care thanks to a new program at UPMC Magee-Womens in Erie.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, almost 11 out of 100,000 women die from complications related to childbirth, and for about 50% of those women who die, it happens postpartum.

It's a trend Pennsylvania has seen an increase since 2020.

"We have unfortunately seen, when we look our data, a trend towards increasing losses either during the pregnancy birthing process or in the year postpartum, as well as bad health outcomes related to what we call 'severe maternal morbidity' or 'illnesses related to pregnancy,'" said Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen.

PA Secretary of Agriculture visits Erie schools to see progress on Farm to School initiative

Now, the state is turning to programs that can improve outcomes. This comes as UPMC Magee-Womens has expanded its Doula program to Erie.

Doulas are specially trained experts who offer emotional, physical, and informational support to pregnant women throughout their pregnancy and beyond.

"Regardless of how many times a family has experienced pregnancy and birth, each one is unique, and once again, they need to have a sort of representative and liaison who they can contact, relate to and trust ultimately," said Brandy Gentry, lead doula/birth circle doula program at UPMC Hamot.

And UPMC's data speaks for itself.

White House economic adviser tours Erie projects benefitted by ARP funding

When patients have Doula support, they're less likely to have a C-section delivery, more likely to breastfeed and breastfeed for longer, and less likely to have a pre-term birth.

With the program now in Erie, those outcomes are a real possibility for expecting mothers throughout the region. And cut into negative trends relating to childbirth.

"We see better birth outcomes when we're able to care for the wholeness of a person and meet them where they're at mentally, emotionally and physically," said Gentry.

"The Doula program is just one, but we're working with the Department of Human Services, Department of Drug and Alcohol programs, and our insurance divisions really to develop a strategic plan to make sure that we're thinking about all of the possible ways to improve birth outcomes for pregnant people and their families," said Dr. Debra Bogen, secretary of health, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Doula services are free of charge and are available for expecting mothers who are interested. Just mention it to your doctor.