Merck and Mae Partner to Expand Doula Workforce and Address Maternal Health Disparities in High-Risk U.S. Markets
Merck, through the company’s Merck for Mothers initiative, and Mae are collaborating on a multi-state effort to expand and sustain the community-based doula workforce, with a goal of advancing maternal health equity and access for those experiencing the most disparate outcomes.
The collaboration will advance doula training, professional development, and ongoing administrative support towards Medicaid participation for community doulas. It will also allow Mae to extend the reach of its tech-enabled community care model to sustain doulas’ insurance participation long-term.
Nationally, one in three births are C-sections, and close to one in ten babies are born preterm. For Medicaid and at-risk populations, the statistics are even more dire. Doula support has been proven to mitigate preterm birth, medically unnecessary C-sections, and address maternal mental health needs, particularly for birthing people of color. Mae’s solution serves as a layer of infrastructure to address high-risk maternity, including risk tracking, coordination of care and benefits, and the ability to provide targeted community-based interventions that improve maternal health outcomes.
