🟡 Does this facility have a written policy encouraging and ensuring access to doulas in addition to other birth companions?

Resource: Brief – Community Models for Health Equity Brief by the Commonwealth Fund on community-based models to improve maternal health outcomes and promote health equity. Link: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2021/mar/community-models-improve-maternal-outcomes-equity

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🟡 Does this facility have a written policy ensuring access to and participation of birth companions?

Resource: WHO Report – Improving Intrapartum Care Report by the WHO on standards for improving quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities. Page 22, Standard 6 iterates the standard of providing every birthing person and their family emotional support. Link: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/mca-documents/advisory-groups/quality-of-care/standards-for-improving-quality-of-maternal-and-newborn-care-in-health-facilities.pdf?sfvrsn=3b364d8_2

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🟢 Does this facility have a plan or program in place to offer all women/childbearing people non-pharmacological pain management methods?

Resource: Report Summary – Physiologic Birth & CS Hormones National Partnership for Women & Families report summary discussing implications of a physiologic birth over a cesarean section and strategies to support beneficial hormonal action when a cesarean is necessary. Link: http://www.nationalpartnership.org/research-library/maternal-health/physiologic-birth-vs-c-section.pdf

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