Under new legislation ceremonially signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday, new mothers will gain expanded access to resources for addressing postpartum depression. As doulas, we recognize the importance of mental health support during the perinatal period. Shapiro signing these bills into law means Pennsylvania Mothers get more mental health support.
The new law mandates that the state Department of Health create a list of resources and a fact sheet on perinatal and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, which healthcare providers can offer to expectant and new mothers. The list will guide parents to more support.
New Bills Signed to Provide Pennsylvania Mothers With More Support
House Bill 2127 is part of an eight-bill legislative package known as the “momnibus,” focused on improving maternal health and addressing maternal morbidity, introduced this year by the Black Maternal Health Caucus.
The Black Maternal Health Caucus, founded in 2023, is co-chaired by state Reps. La’Tasha D. Mayes (D-Allegheny), Gina Curry (D-Delaware), and Morgan Cephas (D-Philadelphia) and aims to combat the high rates of maternal morbidity affecting women of color.
According to a 2022 report from the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, which examines all maternal deaths in the state, the morbidity rate for Black women was nearly double the overall rate, with 82 deaths per 100,000 live births.
As doulas, we are aware of the drastic disparities in birth outcomes. We are also aware of the alarming rate at which US mothers experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs).
Signing these bills into legislation is vital. Doing so in a ceremonial way, Gov. Josh Shapiro is also creating more awareness about the issue of maternal health. Creating more awareness is key. More awareness leads to more resources. More resources leads to better outcomes.
Doula Coverage In Pennsylvania
On October 21, the state House cast the final vote to send another bill to Governor Shapiro, which would require Medicaid to cover doula services—support professionals who provide guidance and assistance to mothers during labor and postpartum.
Sponsored by Rep. Cephas, the bill previously passed in the Senate with near-unanimous support earlier this month.
These combinations of bills highlight Pennsylvania’s determination to help reduce poor maternal and infant health outcomes we see in the United States.
At the International Doula Institute, we recognize that doulas have the power to improve birth outcomes for their clients. We are also aware that doulas are not responsible for nor capable of eliminating and reducing disparities.
However, alongside increasing legislation, funding, and systemic changes, doulas can be a part of improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
Personal Experiences and Statistics Behind The Drive For Pennsylvania Mothers to Get More Access to Care
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) co-sponsored the postpartum depression bill alongside Reps. Gina Curry (D-Delaware) and Lisa Borowski (D-Delaware). Fiedler, a mother of two, shared with the Capital-Star on Tuesday that the issue is deeply personal for her.
“I wish I had known 10 years ago, when I was a brand new mom, that postpartum depression is really common,” she said. “It is a treatable mental health condition, and you can get better.”
Mental health conditions are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in Pennsylvania. Of the almost 75% of PA mothers experiencing postpartum depression, most go untreated, according to the state’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee.
What Do These Bills Really Mean?
Under the legislation signed by Governor Shapiro on Tuesday, the Department of Health must keep an up-to-date list of organizations offering counseling for postpartum mental health disorders. This list, along with materials promoting awareness of perinatal and postpartum mental health, must be available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Chinese.
“More new moms, more families will learn those … simple but really important facts,” Fiedler said. “When people are dealing with so much with a new baby at home, the joy and the challenges and all of that, and then are hit by something like postpartum depression, it just makes everything harder.”
At the International Doula Institute, headquartered in Pennsylvania, we are proud of our state government for recognizing the importance of maternal health. Doulas lead to improved outcomes. We are grateful our state is recognizing our role in supporting outcomes. Become a doula today! You can be part of the solution.
Author: Aliza Juliette Bancoff
Aliza Juliette Bancoff is a well-known doula and doula trainer who has been providing doula services to families for over a decade. She is the founder of Main Line Doulas, a doula group providing doula support in the great Philadelphia area for the last decade, the International Doula Institute, which provides online doula training and lactation training and certification programs and the International Breastfeeding Institute which provides lactation training and certification. She is the co-founder of United Birth, a company devoted to increasing access to doulas across the country to make the perinatal time safer both physically and emotionally. “Every birthing person deserves access to quality doula support. And we are working to make that a reality across the country. The work we are doing to get doulas to every birthing person will decrease the black infant and maternal mortality rate significantly by 2030.” Says Bancoff. Aliza is known for her compassionate and empowering approach to doula work, and she has been featured in numerous media outlets, including United Nations Maternal Health Report, Parent Magazine, CafeMom, theBump and many more. Aliza's journey into doula work began when she gave birth to her first child and felt a strong calling...