Project Title

Maternal Mortality: Doulas and Cesearan Section

Date

Summer 8-5-2019

Document Type

Undergraduate Project

Class

Senior

Department

Physics

Faculty Mentor

Michelle Price

Description

Cesarean section/ delivery (c-section) is the use of surgery to deliver babies, typically when a vaginal delivery would put the baby or mother at risk. It turns out that most women that are likely to be at risk during the c-section operation happen to be women in poverty. The risk of death after c-sections are 21.9 per 100,000 deliveries. Lowering the rate of c-section deliveries that are unnecessary could eliminate c-sections mortality and their disadvantages with birthing and the relationship between the mother and infant. Doulas are women who provide support and guidance to a pregnant woman at any time throughout pregnancy. Professional doulas can help to lower the rate of c-sections by supporting their clients in considering the benefits and risks of induction, helping women to find their voice to advocate for the best care, and encouraging the baby to be well-positioned for birth. There have been studies to show the correlation between c-section birth rates and poverty. It is not separation among economic class that women have a higher chance of giving birth by c-section, but it is separation by birth location. Women who give birth in less expensive public health facilities are more likely to deliver by c-section. The presence of doulas in a woman’s voice to advocate can lead to less c-sectional deliveries among all women.

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