The Naturally Nurtured Doula Pilot Project seeks to improve health outcomes for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee enrollees by ensuring that all pregnant and postpartum people receive support during the prenatal and postpartum periods, labor/delivery, miscarriage and stillbirth. Low-income people in the United States are at a higher risk of poor birth outcomes. Black pregnant birthing people are especially vulnerable and are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy related complications. Doula care is among the most promising approaches to combating disparities in maternal health.

 

The Naturally Nurtured Birth Services Doula Pilot is an 18-month pilot that assists Shelby County UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (UHCCP) Tennessee Medicaid maternity members through the prenatal and postpartum period by addressing social needs barriers, providing breastfeeding and childbirth education and by providing birth and postpartum support.

 

Naturally Nurtured Birth Services’ doulas will help support all types of childbirth and parenting scenarios. This includes support with natural births, epidurals, cesarean births, multiples, NICU stays, breastfeeding, chest feeding, induced lactation, bottle feeding, high-risk pregnancies, hospital births and births in birth centers. The support will begin from the time the member is identified as being pregnant throughout 8 weeks postpartum. The member will receive the following support by the doula:

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• 3 prenatal visits

• Birth planning

• Labor and delivery support

• Breastfeeding 1 on 1 session

• 1-2 hours postpartum support

• Lactation support

• 24/7 text and phone support

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Members can be referred internally or externally through the Healthy First Steps referral process. The program is available specifically to Shelby County members who agree to deliver at an in-network facility. Any member who does not agree to deliver at an in-network facility will not be eligible for the doula pilot.

If you would like to check eligibility, please email us a copy of your insurance card, address, phone number, EDD and provider information.

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To print this information in Spanish please click here.