Women’s health, maternal care, and the rise of doula programs

Health is deeply personal, but the way workplaces respond to employees’ health needs has real implications for equity, engagement, and retention. While health challenges affect employees of all genders, women often face additional barriers when seeking understanding or accommodations, particularly around pregnancy, menopause, and other health needs that carry social stigma. These challenges reflect gaps in workplace systems. As employers focus on equity and workforce sustainability, integrating women’s health into benefits strategies can help reduce structural barriers and better support employees across life stages.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up over 55% of the workforce, meaning there are more working women than there are men. Despite that, women still face persistent inequities in the workforce, ranging from pay gaps and higher rates of harassment to fewer opportunities for growth and disproportionate unpaid care work—all of which can lead to burnout and retention problems. Addressing workplace inequities for women is complex and ongoing, but supporting women’s health through meaningful benefits is one important step employers can take to create real, lasting change.

Longstanding inequities in maternal health continue to shape outcomes in the United States, but recent efforts have increasingly focused on identifying effective ways to improve care and reduce disparities. While maternal mortality rates declined from their 2021 peak, data show that outcomes remain uneven, particularly for Black women, who continue to experience the highest rates of maternal mortality. These disparities have prompted greater attention to evidence-based interventions that address both clinical and non-clinical needs during pregnancy and childbirth, including expanded access to doula support and other maternal care programs designed to improve outcomes for birthing parents.

In response, doula programs have seen increased adoption and broader insurance coverage as part of efforts to improve maternal health outcomes. Mass General Brigham describes doulas as “trained, non-medical professionals that offer emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing parents before, during, and after birth, and in the early days following childbirth.” Studies, including this one from the American Journal of Public Health, have found that doula care is associated with better maternal health outcomes and may reduce maternal health disparities.

In fact, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation reports that women who choose doulas:

• Have reduced rates of cesarean delivery (C-section);
• Have improved 5-minute Apgar scores (quick check of a newborn's health);
• Are two times less likely to experience complications; and
• Are more likely to initiate breastfeeding.

With this in mind, employers have an opportunity to support maternal health by offering benefits that are proven to improve outcomes, including access to doula care. Evidence shows that doula programs can help reduce maternal mortality and complications, making them a meaningful component of comprehensive women’s health coverage. Employers can further support women across life stages by expanding benefits such as fertility and family-planning resources, paid extended leave, workplace flexibility during pregnancy, and menopause support.

Learn more about women’s health at Mass General Brigham Health Plan.