Pennsylvania lawmakers push to expand access to doulas to improve Black maternal health

HARRISBURG, Pa. — An alarming number of Black women are dying during and after childbirth. Now, there’s a new push in Harrisburg to save lives by expanding access to doula services. Iyanna Bridges is a mom of four and has been a doula for six years. She started the Birthing Hut and now helps train people to become doulas. “We are dying from things that could have been caught. That is sad,” Bridges said. “All over the country, our hospitals are not taking care of our mothers. We don’t feel safe.” Bridges said her last pregnancy, which inspired her to become a doula, was traumatic. “I birthed at home by myself in order to prevent from dying in a hospital. That’s a conundrum in and of itself because you can die at home,” she said. Bridges said doula services in Pennsylvania typically range between $1,200 and $1,500, and the cost is often a barrier. She’s had expectant mothers inquire about her services but not move forward because of their inability to pay. Health advocates say the involvement of a doula leads to fewer birth complications, which Black and Latina women are disproportionately impacted by, in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S....