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| Health Costs & Insurance |
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Extending health insurance coverage to include doula support is a
sound financial investment for insurance companies |
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Consider the long list of interventions the
medical literature has documented
that are
reduced when a doula supports a woman in labor. Doulas reduce the incidence of:
Reduction in the rate of cesarean section reduces expenditures on
the complications related to cesareans. As a result, cesarean related risks
are reduced with doula supported births. All of the following can be found
resulting from the support of a doula:
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shorter
hospital stays
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lower rates
of readmission to hospital
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reduced bladder and ureteric
injuries
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less
emergency hysterectomies
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reduced requirements for
neonatal intensive care
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reduced
incidence of thromboembolic disease
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less antepartum stillbirth in future pregnancies
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less placenta previa in future pregnancies
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reduced risk
of uterine rupture in future pregnancies
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reduced
incidence of neonatal respiratory morbidity
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Documented reductions in other interventions would
also subsequently lead to reductions in:
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anal incontinence due to forceps deliveries
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drug reactions to analgesics, oxytocics,
anti-emetics,
narcotics, etc.
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cost of materials and professional fees for routine
procedures such as cervical examinations and fetal monitoring due to
shortened length of labor
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work-ups for
infants whose mothers developed fever in labor
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cost of
materials and professional fees for support of epidural anesthesia such
as catheterization, intravenous fluids, and use of oxytocin to
counteract effect of epidural
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Increased breastfeeding rates helps lead to lower rates of
infant and childhood illnesses. The health benefits of breastfeeding have
been well documented and include:
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Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIDS)
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acute
lymphoblastic leukemia
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acute myeloid
leukemia
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lymphoma
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Crohn's
disease
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celiac sprue
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juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis
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Increased breastfeeding rates can help protect mothers from:
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postpartum hemorrhage
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osteoporosis
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breast cancer
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ovarian cancer
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Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Compare all of these potential savings to the cost to insurers of
covering a doula's fees, which usually range from $200-800 per family.
Doulas are a cost-effective preventative health measure, making a
significant difference to the longer term health of women and their
families, and ultimately, your bottom line!.
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Doulas are a cost-effective preventative health measure,
making a significant difference to the longer term health of women and
their families, and ultimately, your bottom line!. |
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