ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A report from the New York Department of Health showed that Black women were five times more to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

The Finger Lakes Performing Provider System, Rochester Healthy Baby Network, Finger Lakes Health and HealthConnect One are looking to train more doulas to address this disparity. 

Paula Nisbeth is packing diapers, formula and other baby essentials for her clients. As the doula coordinator for the Rochester Healthy Baby Network, she aims to make sure local mothers have healthy pregnancies.

A doula is trained to provide physical and emotional support while serving as a guide for families during pregnancy and childbirth.

“When I researched the maternal mortality rate and saw that Black women are three to four times more likely to die due to pregnancy-related causes, it lit a fire under me,” Nisbeth said. “I would say it’s a more a calling for me.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maternal mortality rates is 51% higher among Black moms than white moms in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region.

Nisbeth says lack of access to child care, transportation and some mistrust in the healthcare field in the Black community are among the reasons why.

“[Some Black mothers are] not being listened to,” Nisbeth said. “When you state your concerns to your doctor and they may just sweep it under the rug or just say 'oh you are fine.'”

Ever since she joined the Healthy Baby Network in March 2020, her goal has been to reverse that trend with the agency’s Black Doula Collaborative. This initiative trains people to become doulas and provides free services for Black women.

“We trained about 20-25 women between the year of 2019-2020,” Nisbeth said.

Now the Finger Lakes Performing Provider system is helping the Healthy Baby Network fund an expansion to its Black Doula Collaborative. They are partnering together to bring in and train six more full-time doulas that will serve 250 Black and brown women in the Rochester area.

Nisbeth believes this could go along to reducing maternal mortality rates for Black women.

“I think just having that presence of a doula and the support that the doula gives,” Nisbeth explained. “That support is so broad. It could be the doula feeding mom ice chips, or rubbing mom’s back and wiping mom’s tears. Making mom and dad feel comfortable in that space. It can be overwhelming.”

She knows firsthand how vital it is to be there for a family as a doula.

“Hearing the feedback from my mom’s and their families is really rewarding,” Nisbeth said. “I had a mom. We had a birth plan and her birth plan didn’t go exactly how she envisioned. She said I made her comfortable, made her [and her] fiancé feel heard.”

Now pregnant herself, Nisbeth has a plan to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

“I always knew that when I become pregnant that I wanted a doula for myself because doulas save lives,” Nisbeth said.