ROCK COUNTY, Wis. — The Black infant mortality rate is four times higher than that of white infants in Rock County. In an effort to address this inequity, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville and Rock County Public Health have collaborated to increase the community’s access to doulas.
For Bianca Kuffer, her reasons for becoming a doula go back to her time giving birth.
“My journey has been difficult with motherhood myself. That’s even with support,” Kuffer said. “I actually had my first son shortly after graduating high school.”
Through her work as a doula, she’s learned many families struggle during the time surrounding childbirth.
“It’s very hard to see what some of the birthing people are going through in the community,” Kuffer said.
Based on a 2014-2018 study, Public Health RN Kyleigh Menke said black infants were dying at 16.8 per thousand live births. That’s compared to Hispanic infant deaths at 5.8 per thousand live births and white infants at 4.3 per thousand live births.
“It was shocking to see,” Menke said. “We were seeing that Black infants were passing away over any other race. That’s nationwide, it’s something that’s happening not just in Rock County.”
Through grant funding, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville and Rock County Public Health have collaborated to increase the community’s access to doulas.
“That grant is specific to help black families in our community to reduce that rate and reduce infant mortality throughout all of Rock County,” Menke said. “The plan was to recruit two people from Rock County to train and become doulas.”
It’s the goal of addressing inequity that was part of the reason Kuffer took the job.
“That support as a doula looks like informational, physical, emotional support throughout pregnancy, birth, and labor and postpartum,” Kuffer said.
It’s her goal, along with those at the county level, to bring life to families and help change these numbers.
“When I heard about this partnership, I knew I wanted to be a doula,” Kuffer said. “I knew I wanted to support birthing people in their pregnancy.”
Expectant families in Rock County can receive access to a doula through self-referral or by discussing this option with their care team.
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