News - Arkansas' Doula Boom: Ujima Network Doubles the Number of Birth Coaches in the State

In early 2025, Arkansas faced a shortage of trained doulas, prompting critical concern. With fewer than 50 doulas statewide, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) collaborated with the Ujima Maternity Network to address this gap. By year's end, their combined efforts nearly doubled the number of doulas, thanks to focused training programs. Doulas provide vital emotional and advocacy support during childbirth, fostering informed decision-making and ensuring culturally sensitive care. Ujima Maternity Network, grounded in the African American tradition of Ujima—meaning collective work and responsibility—was founded on the third day of Kwanzaa in 2018. Celebrating on Kwanzaa's Ujima day in 2025, the Network commemorated the graduation of 21 new doulas at a ceremony in Alexander, Arkansas. Nicolle Fletcher, Ujima's executive director, emphasized the critical maternal health crisis in the state, noting that since its inception, their program has equipped 77 individuals, with 44 successfully graduating in 2025. "Arkansas is amidst a maternal health care crisis," emphasized Fletcher. "Training culturally congruent community-based doulas is essential to improving outcomes for Black women, who disproportionately face higher pregnancy-related fatalities." Significant disparities exist, with Black non-Hispanic women suffering 2.3 times more pregnancy-related deaths than their White counterparts. In 2024, Arkansas received an F from the March of Dimes for preterm births, reporting a 12.1% occurrence rate, and the Black community was notably afflicted, with a preterm birth rate of 16%. During 2025, Ujima doulas supported 88 births, contributing to reversing these alarming trends. Fletcher highlighted the empowerment provided by training doulas from within the communities affected: "Having Black doulas support Black mothers can greatly improve maternal outcomes." Among the graduates was Amanda Springs from Little Rock, a former Army member who discovered her passion for doula work following a powerful family experience. Springs focuses on postpartum care, assisting new mothers in adjusting to life with a newborn. Her military training enhances her ability to support these women, providing perspective and comfort. Fletcher and Springs underline the importance of Ujima’s mission in addressing the stark realities faced by Black mothers in Arkansas, showing that community-based and culturally sensitive support can foster better maternal health outcomes.