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New Research on VBAC and Doula Support Underway at the Best Birth Clinic
BC Women’s Hospital and the Best Birth Clinic are currently conducting a randomized clinical trial (RCT) that will shed light on better ways to support women in labour. This trial is about the effects of doula support for women attempting a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). A doula is a non-medical labour support person who provides continuous emotional and physical support to women during labour and birth, as well as support for partners if needed. The doula meets with the woman prenatally to determine her preferences for supportive care during labour and birth. In addition to attending the birth the doula also has one visit with the new mother and her partner in the early postpartum period.
Women in the study are asked to fill out a short, five-minute questionnaire. The women will then be randomly assigned into two groups: one groups is offered standard care; the other group is offered standard care plus doula support. Those in the doula support group will be provided with a trained, experienced doula — free of charge — to support them through their VBAC.
Who can join the study?
Women are eligible if:
- their care provider has indicated that it is safe for them to have a VBAC
- they have decided to plan a VBAC
- they are planning to give birth and are preregistered at BC Women’s Hospital
- they are carrying only one baby
- the baby is in the head down position
- they are not planning to hire a doula privately
For both groups, a researcher from the study will visit the women briefly in hospital to ask them to complete a short questionnaire about their birth experience. This questionnaire can also be completed on-line. Additional information will be collected from the hospital chart including, length of labour, pain relief methods and model of delivery.
To join or for more information:
Call the Best Birth Clinic at 604-875-2424, Extension 6387
Download the official study poster
Im sure this study will show the positive effects of having experiences support. I was surprised to see part of the eligibility. Is not to have a private doula. In a recent DONA article it indicated that those who use the hospital based doula are more likely to have interventions than those who have a private doula with whom they have developed a relationship with.
Im wondering if this study can be completely accurate.
Hi Stephanie,
I believe the DONA article looking at hospital doulas considered programs that assigned doulas once the woman arrived at the hospital.
The doulas supporting women in our study are not hospital employees. In fact, they are also experienced doulas in private practice. The care they provide to the study participants is the same care they provide their private clients. The study doulas meet the client prenatally and may attend them in early labour at their homes. They also do a visit after the baby is born. All of this gives the doula and the women a great chance to build that important bond.
Thank you for the work you do educating and supporting women.
The Power to Push Team
I have had 5HBAC all with midwives and all with a private doula. One important thing is when you have a doula you have a relationship with her. I would hate to show up at a hospital and meet the doula for the first time. I have meet doula’s who I didn’t like, so I don’t hire them. I also have issue with the fact the baby has to be head down. This is not a safety study this is a support study let the babies be breech. As breech is normal.
Thanks for your interest in our program. Women in our RCT do have the opportunity to meet the doula before the birth. As breech birth is more complicated we try to turn the baby before birth.
This is great!!!! Are you looking for more participants? If so, I’d LOVE to put up a poster in the pregnancy/birth/breastfeeding section I’ve created at Burrard Pharmasave. What criteria are you using for the doulas you have providing this service (and are you still looking for doulas?)
http://www.facebook.com/birthtakesavillagepage
Yes, we are still accepting participants for this study. Interested women who meet the criteria should call the Best Cirth Clinic at the number above.
And we’d love for you to post a poster about this for us! The official study poster is included in the above post.
Great initiative! I always like to see more research in the area of supporting women during birth. I think that it would also be interesting to try a treatment with midwives; I know it would complicate the experiment, but I’d be intrigued to know how standard care vs. +doula vs. +midwife compare. Thanks for doing the research!
We are happy to contribite to the research through this research trial. Please share the information about the study with any women you know who are considering a VBAC at BC Women’s Hospital.
Thanks for your kind words.