Source: WGHP
Out of the 100 counties in North Carolina, Guilford County has the highest infant mortality rate.
In 2022, 5,883 babies were born in Guilford County. Out of those babies born, 52 did not celebrate their first birthday. And more than half of those babies were African American from all socioeconomic levels.
When looking at health outcomes across all races and ethnicities, Black birthing people and their babies are doing disproportionately worse than their white counterparts.
Every Baby Guilford initiative was created to combat these daunting statistics and create lasting change in Guilford County.
The goal of this initiative is to implement strategies that will reduce racial disparities in infant deaths by 50% by 2026 and eliminate them by 2031.
One of the strategies that has been implemented is the Community-Based Doula Program.
So what is a doula?
Doulas are trained to guide a birthing person through labor with breathing exercises, words of encouragement, and other comforting measures.
Other doula services may include:
- Providing physical, informational, and emotional support
- Assisting before, during, and shortly after birth
- Advocating for client birth preferences
- Working with midwives to promote healthy delivery
- Working with doctors to promote prenatal care
To be clear, doulas do not replace healthcare providers or medical staff. Therefore, they do not perform any medical procedures, provide medical advice or manage high-risk pregnancies.
Simply put, a doula supports the person giving birth and advocates for them.
To date, Guilford’s community-based doula program has helped 43 expectant mothers. If you know someone who would benefit from this program, please visit Guilford County’s community-based doula’s website for more information. All doulas are listed on the webpage.
