Doulas from Cradle to Grave: Integration into Conventional Medical Care

Doulas are becoming increasingly popular as support persons for the critical processes of birth and death. There is some evidence that their support reduces interventions such as Caesarean sections and instrumental deliveries as well as medicated pain relief. However, there are clear tensions in Australia between doulas and the professional obstetric staff such as midwives and obstetricians. Especially if they challenge proposed obstetric management on behalf of parturient women. Their role in managing the dying may also be open to malfeasance. At present Australian doulas are not regulated by the Australian Health Professionals Regulation Authority (AHPRA) but there is a need for them to be regulated at a local and State or Territory level.