Doula support is associated with about a 30% reduction in cesarean births, dropping from 24–31% under standard care to 17–19% with a doula present.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40403310/ 

Research shows up to a 58% reduction in the odds of postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA) among women who receive doula care. 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9257331/ 

Doula support has been shown to increase breastfeeding initiation to nearly 98%, compared to about 81% among women on Medicaid who did not have doula support. The study also found that 93% of Black women initiated breastfeeding when accessing doula support, compared to about 70% of Black women without doula care. This is especially significant given the disparities in maternal and infant outcomes for Black mothers. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23837663/ 

 Among Medicaid recipients, doula support has been associated with 22% lower odds of preterm birth. 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5544530/ 

Continuous doula support is associated with shorter labors. 

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full 

A pooled analysis found that women with continuous labor support were less likely to use pain medication, with the greatest effect noted when support came from a doula 

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full 

Women with continuous labor support are more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth, with the greatest effect occurring specifically with doula support. 

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full 

Continuous labor support has been associated with a 38% lower risk of low five-minute Apgar scores in newborns. 

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full 

Continuous labor support is associated with a 31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience, with the greatest effect noted when support came from a doula. Birth satisfaction is extremely significant, as it strongly predicts postpartum mental health. 

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full 

Doula support increases access to prenatal and postnatal care. Women with doulas attended their postpartum visits at nearly twice the rate of those without (61.5% compared to 35.9%). The postpartum visit is one of the most important maternal health appointments, and yet one that many women do not attend. 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9257331/

Additional Resources

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/

Partnering With Doulas in Clinical Settings | ACOG