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Doulas Are Helping Black California Moms Navigate Pregnancy – Even as High Mortality Rates Persist

September 24, 2026

Black women in California face maternal mortality rates approximately four times higher than other women, with 44. 8 deaths per 100,000 live births nationally, prompting increased reliance on doula services for advocacy and support. Doulas like Yvette Perry provide education, emotional support, and medical advocacy to help Black mothers navigate pregnancy complications, communicate with healthcare providers, and avoid dismissive treatment that contributes to poor outcomes.

Who is affected

  • Black women and birthing mothers in California and across the United States
  • Cassandra Carter, a Long Beach resident and therapist who hired a doula
  • Whitney Dotson of Inglewood and her husband Anthony
  • Saveneh Martinez, whose first child was placed in NICU
  • Expectant fathers and partners of pregnant women
  • Doulas including Yvette Perry (co-founder of Divine Birthing Services LLC) and Saveneh Martinez (with Fierce Advocates in Contra Costa County)
  • Healthcare providers and hospitals treating pregnant women
  • Medi-Cal eligible patients seeking doula services

What action is being taken

  • California is covering doula care as a Medi-Cal benefit (implemented in 2023)
  • The California Department of Public Health's Black Infant Health (BIH) Program and Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) are making headway with prenatal group models and improved birth experiences
  • The California Pregnancy Associated Review Committee is examining maternal deaths and developing guidelines for hospitals
  • Doulas like Yvette Perry are providing education, advocacy, and support during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods
  • Hospitals are working to improve responses to hemorrhaging following recommendations

Why it matters

  • This issue matters because Black women in California die from pregnancy-related causes at rates four times higher than other women, representing a critical public health crisis rooted in structural racism, healthcare barriers, and provider bias. The maternal mortality disparity affects thousands of families, with leading causes including cardiovascular disease, hemorrhage, and sepsis—many of which are preventable with proper care and advocacy. Doula services address systemic gaps by empowering Black mothers to understand their rights, communicate preferences, and receive respectful care, while research shows these services can reduce preterm births and unnecessary C-sections. Addressing this crisis is essential not only for saving lives but also for dismantling discriminatory healthcare practices that have long dismissed and endangered Black mothers.

What's next

  • CDPH's Title V Action Plan aims to reduce pregnancy-related deaths among Black birthing mothers from 49.7 to 42.3 per 100,000 live births by 2030
  • Widespread implementation of CMQCC's standard clinic care practices for cardiovascular disease and sepsis across California is pending
  • Continued expansion of community-based perinatal teams and improvements in patient-centered care

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint