Doulas provide praise, reassurance, comfort, and companionship to women in labor.
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Northern California followed 314 randomly selected patients aged 18 years and older between May 1994 and December 1996. Women were randomly assigned to either the doula group or the usual-care group. Women assigned to the usual-care group received no special treatment. Telephone interviews were conducted with the women four to six weeks postpartum. The study found no significant difference in rates of cesarean, vaginal forcep or vacuum delivery, oxytocin use, and postpartum depression.