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UnitedHealthcare expands doula benefit to support maternal health

UnitedHealthcare will expand its doula benefit to certain employer-sponsored health plans as part of the payer's strategy to improve maternal health outcomes.

Sara Heath
By
Published: 18 Mar 2026

Throughout the remainder of 2026, UnitedHealthcare will continue a phased rollout of its Doula Support benefit, which lets members in eligible plans be reimbursed after hiring a doula to support their maternity care and birthing experiences.

By the start of January 2027, UnitedHealthcare said it expects around 7.2 million members to have access to the offering if it's a part of their employer's health plan. For context, UnitedHealthcare covers around 220,000 deliveries each year across its employer-sponsored health plans.

"We believe that everyone deserves meaningful support through their maternity journey," Rebecca Madsen, chief executive officer of Advocacy, Behavioral and Clinical for UnitedHealthcare, said in an announcement. "Expanding doula access may help give more people personalized, whole-person support."

How do doulas support birthing experiences?

Set against a backdrop of flagging U.S. maternal health, doulas are heralded across the industry as effective for promoting better outcomes.

Doulas are trained professionals who support pregnant people before, during and after having the baby. Although these individuals do not provide medical services, they do serve as patient advocates and offer physical and emotional support to pregnant people during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Doulas can also assist with the needs of the newborn, such as helping families prepare for the baby's arrival and coordinating care for the newborn.

According to UnitedHealthcare, including doulas in the maternity care team has been successful, citing studies showing that doulas can reduce preterm birth rates and cesarean deliveries. Other studies have shown that doula support can reduce postpartum anxiety and depression.

These benefits are important as the nation stares down a continued maternal health problem. The U.S. has long been the worst in the developed world for maternal health outcomes and maternal health equity.

And although there are some modest improvements in the nation's overall maternity mortality rate, disparities continue to affect Black birthing people.

The forces behind these trends are manifold, but supporting broader access to supportive pregnancy care, such as through a doula, could be a step toward better outcomes nationwide.

Sara Heath has reported news related to patient engagement and health equity since 2015.

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