We stand together to protect women’s right to receive the support they need during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.

On December 13, 2024, a new regulation titled “Procedures and Principles for Birth Schools and Birth Services” was published officially. This regulation contains a clause that restricts women’s right to choose their birth companions and support professionals:

“Educational and counseling services for pregnant women can only be provided by healthcare professionals within their defined roles. Individuals or entities outside these professions, such as doulas or coaches, are not allowed to offer services under any name.”

This clause makes it nearly impossible for midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, pregnancy psychologists, and other birth support professionals to provide their invaluable services. It also conflicts with Türkiye’s Patient Rights Regulation, which guarantees the right to have a birth companion.

Why Is Birth Support Essential?

Birth support services help women prepare for childbirth physically, emotionally, and mentally. Research (Bohren et al., Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, 2017) shows that continuous support during labor:

• Increases the likelihood of spontaneous vaginal birth,
• Reduces the need for medical interventions (e.g., epidurals, forceps, or vacuum assistance),
• Decreases the likelihood of cesarean sections,
• Shortens labor duration by approximately 40 minutes,
• Enhances positive birth experiences while reducing negative feelings,
• Improves newborn health by reducing the risk of low Apgar scores,
• Continuous birth support can reduce cesarean rates by 25%, instrumental vaginal births by 10%, and the use of pain relief medications by 10%. (WHO, 2018, p. 31)
• It may also contribute to lowering the risk of preterm birth: “Women who receive doula care are 22% less likely to experience preterm birth.” (Kozhimannil et al., 2016, p. 26)
• Lowers stress during pregnancy and childbirth, and
• Improves women’s postpartum well-being.

Despite this evidence, the new regulation limits women’s access to comprehensive birth support, making the childbirth experience more challenging. The unconditional protection of women’s right to support during childbirth is a fundamental human right!

What Are We Demanding?

1️⃣ The protection of women’s right to receive one-on-one support from anyone they choose during childbirth,
2️⃣ The removal of the restrictive clause in the regulation,
3️⃣ Official recognition of birth support professionals (midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, pregnancy psychologists, etc.), including their roles and qualifications.

How You Can Help

Sign our petition to stand with us in protecting women’s rights during childbirth! Every woman deserves respect and support during this transformative experience. Together, we can make our voices heard and safeguard these fundamental rights.

Join us in making a difference for women and their babies. Add your signature today and share the campaign to spread awareness.

Launched by Doguma Destek Platformu

This profession, which provides practical and emotional support during pregnancy and childbirth, is often presented, at best, as a new-age fad that poses risks to the health of women and babies, and at worst, as a component of a sectarian drift that should be banned. The recent report by BFM TV is just one example among many others. This lack of nuance and consideration raises questions about the integrity of the media, which, according to the professional ethics charter for journalists, should be committed to "truthfulness, accuracy, integrity, fairness, and impartiality," and avoid "unsubstantiated accusations, (...) distortion of facts," manipulation, or failure to verify facts.

At a time when many foreign media outlets are considering recognizing the profession of doula and its role alongside families as an indicator of women's autonomy in their pregnancy-related choices, as well as a commitment to the women's rights of the country in question, what does this media treatment of the issue of doulas say about French culture? Of course, media representation is often just a reflection of the social consideration of an issue, but in this case, the public should expect better.

A balanced and objective treatment of the subject could, for example, include recent scientific studies showing that support for women during pregnancy and postpartum, particularly from doulas, has a positive effect on the mental health of mothers. It is even accepted that this support for women and families can also have positive effects on the physiology of pregnancy. However, the media do not relay these findings. They also do not mention that, concerning the most vulnerable populations (Black or Indigenous women in the U.S., or foreign-speaking women in Europe), structural studies have shown that support from doulas addresses a real need and generates positive effects on the birth experience for these women. These serious and well-documented studies and surveys are generally absent from the French media, replaced by hasty analyses based entirely on a few questionable quotes from doulas who are not representative of the ethical boundaries that most doulas adhere to, or statements from medical professionals concerned about these forms of support occurring outside their professional field.

This skewed and "biased" media treatment is not without consequences. It generates significant professional stress among doulas, who feel accused and suspicious; it can create unjustified concerns among parents and families; it can foster a permanent mistrust among healthcare professionals who have never worked with doulas; and, ultimately, it acts as a barrier to the social recognition of a profession that primarily offers help and support to families.

The professional mistakes of a few should not be generalized and presented as the majority practice of doulas in France. Few professions suffer as much from such stigmatization. For instance, the lack of a legal framework is often cited as a severe critique in all articles dealing with the doula profession, yet no one would think to criticize the absence of a legal framework for other service-oriented or caregiving professions (coach, sophrologist, home helper, wellness practitioner, photographer, etc.). Therefore, the risks associated with the doula profession can certainly be discussed, as long as they are not unfounded, and provided they are weighed against the benefits that doula support for families overwhelmingly provides.

Thus, we call for an honest and objective treatment of the subject of doulas in France through this letter. Why not consider a thorough, objective investigation that could explore the research on the benefits of supporting women, the ethical requirements of this profession that prohibit any confusion with the work of medical professionals, the legal framework applicable to the doula practice (which is not specific legislation but a derivative of common law), the professional training programs dedicated to this practice and their emphasis on ethical posture, the positive experiences of healthcare professionals who have worked with doulas, and, most importantly, the numerous and rich testimonials from families who have been supported?

The public, women, and families deserve better media treatment of the work of their support providers: for their recognition, image, and dignity. The main issue is deeply feminist, which likely explains many fears and resistances. It concerns the autonomy of those giving birth and the respect for their choices in their life journeys and over their own bodies.

Ce texte a été pensé et rédigé par l’association Maison des doulas - Lille

Below is a statement from pregnancy and childbirth professionals and organizations working in the field of prenatal, perinatal and postnatal health. Everywhere in the world, we advocate for every woman's right to give birth in safety and every baby's right to be born in a secure environment, without reservation or conditions. Please email us for adding your organization’s name to this call or individually to be a part of a volunteer network: 

“Women and newborns are disproportionately bearing the burden of hostilities in Gaza” as the World Health Organization states. Hundreds of thousands of pregnant women and children are adversely affected by the atrocities of war. 

Approximately 50,000 pregnant women reside in Gaza, with over 180 deliveries occurring daily. Around 15% of these women are at risk of encountering complications during pregnancy or childbirth, necessitating extra medical attention. Due to the blockage of medical supplies and power, emergency cesarean sections are now performed without anesthesia without the basic sanitary needs, medically unnecessary hysterectomies are performed to save blood. 

As health professionals who dedicate their lives to protecting civilians under all circumstances, we are aware that creating safe spaces for childbirth also means creating safe spaces for all people. For this reason, we must seek ways of influencing the international community to help achieve the following immediately: 

• Immediate ceasefire and adherence to international humanitarian law
•  Opening safe corridors for evacuation of pregnant women and children
• Meeting the need for emergency medical care and before and during evacuation
•  Establishing safe zones for hospitals and care homes under the auspices of international organizations and taking other measures to protect medical personnel and installations 
• Building infrastructure and providing resources for safe childbirths and medical care in safe zones
•  Building field hospitals and temporary installations in safe zones
•  Increasing the efficiency of medical aid by ensuring collaboration between the aid agencies and the local health professionals 
• Providing psychosocial support as an integral part of the emergency response 

These are only the initial steps to alleviate the pain and reduce the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip, a population displaced from their homes. As we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire, the above-mentioned steps are of critical importance, as civilians and medical staff are protected by international law. We ask all childbirth-related organizations to join our solidarity call. 

Click the button below for full details of this call for action.

Note from the European Doula Network

We firmly believe in fostering unity and mutual respect within the whole doula and childbirth professional community. 

While we support the values and calls outlined in this statement, we do not condone any actions that involve pressuring individuals or organizations to adopt specific stances or actions. 

Advocacy should unite, not divide, our efforts to create safe spaces for childbirth and human dignity worldwide.

We invite constructive dialogue and collaboration, recognizing that only through mutual understanding and shared purpose can we build a stronger, more supportive global network dedicated to safe births for all.

Note: Please find details of the UNFPA aid agency, which is taking donations and doing its best to support women and girls.