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Kansas City Today

Doulas are making a difference for Kansas moms

By Nomin Ujiyediin,
Byron J. Love
Published November 28, 2023 at 4:00 AM CST
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The number of severe complications during labor and delivery has increased for Kansas moms. For moms of color or women enrolled in Medicaid, complications are even more common. One of the state’s Medicaid contractors is now covering doula services as a way to help.

Data from the Kansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee shows between 2016 and 2020, severe complications that impact a woman’s health increased by 6.4% annually. Black moms in Kansas and women on Medicaid or from low-income zip codes are disproportionally affected.

Doulas can help with that — a study found moms who use doulas are two times less likely to experience birth complications. Now, UnitedHealthcare has started covering doula services for Kansas moms on Medicaid. Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Kansas News Service reports.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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Kansas City Today childrenpregnancyMedicaidhealth care
Nomin Ujiyediin
As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
See stories by Nomin Ujiyediin
Byron J. Love
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
See stories by Byron J. Love
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