Local doula program works to support Black moms

RICHMOND, Calif. - Black women in the United States are more likely than any other ethnic or racial group to die from pregnancy-related causes.

That's according to a study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which revealed that of all those researched from 2022 to 2023, Black women were the only group to experience an increase in maternal mortality rates.

Now, for Black Maternal Health Week, local community-based program CoCo Doulas is working to raise awareness and reverse the trend.

Local perspective:

CoCo Doulas is a doula service and a doula training program in Contra Costa County that offers prenatal education and support, labor and delivery preparation and support, postpartum support and access and to community resources for families.

The program connects families with trained professionals who provide culturally sensitive physical, emotional and informational support to a mother and family before, during and shortly after childbirth

"We really focus on preparing caregivers of color for the health and education systems," said CoCo Doulas Program Manager Lauren McCollins. "It's the two biggest systems that a family is going to interact with the most, and so we really get them prepared for navigating and advocating for their families in that space."

McCollins said some of the most difficult boundaries families of color face are those related to housing security, relocation and access to resources.