Doulas contribute to a number of positive birth outcomes for mothers and their babies, by providing crucial emotional support and advocacy before, during, and after childbirth. Yet, access to doulas nationwide and in South Carolina is lacking.

The Institute for Child Success has released a new report reviewing the challenges for expecting mothers in rural areas of the state, as well as opportunities to utilize doulas in these communities to support healthy and well moms and babies. Community-based doulas are particularly valuable for Black mothers in rural communities, who face compounding challenges in prenatal health.

View the slides from the presentation from ICS, the South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare, and the doula-led BEE Collective based in Charleston to discuss the new paper and chart a path forward for doulas and expectant families in South Carolina.