Women remain at great risk of dying from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. Notably, Arkansas has consistently had a higher maternal mortality rate than the national average for at least the last five years. But the tide is starting to turn.
Through community-based doula care, mobile maternity services, and policy reform, Arkansas organizations are working to build awareness and expand access to prenatal and postnatal care during a pivotal time in a mother’s life.
What State Innovations Help Increase Access to Maternal Care?
Over half of Arkansas counties are maternity care deserts, where access to prenatal and delivery services is limited or absent. A lack of reliable transportation, hospital closures, and staffing shortages make it especially challenging for women and babies to get the care they need.
Outreach and education have helped raise awareness, but real impact comes from meeting mothers where they are. Ujima Maternity Network in Conway, in partnership with AFMC, Lyon College, and the Arkansas Birthing Project, is doing just that. Together, they’re bringing critical maternal services directly to women in rural counties like Chicot, Bradley, Monroe, Sharp, and Jackson.
Using a Maternity Outreach Mobile (MOM) unit, a team of doulas, midwives, and expert lay people delivers prenatal care, childbearing support, postpartum care, and more. The MOM unit also follows a wraparound care model that identifies and addresses each woman’s social determinants of health, such as transportation, food, clothing, shelter, education, and mental health needs.
“Our goal is that 100% of the women and their infants that we serve will survive and thrive during pregnancy and postpartum" — Nicolle Fletcher, executive director of the Ujima Maternity Network
Hear more insights on doulas from Nicolle’s latest episode of AFMC TV.
Through this initiative, the Ujima team is working to eliminate maternal morbidity and mortality in the communities they serve.
What Impact Do Doulas Have on Maternal Health?
Trained and certified doulas provide the guidance, education, and emotional support that help women make informed decisions about their health and their baby’s well-being. The Ujima Maternity Network brings people and resources together to streamline the quality of care provided to every birthing person.
Doulas also play a key role in reducing Arkansas’s high C-section rate. At 32.2%, the state far exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended rate of 12%. By supporting informed birth planning and advocating for vaginal delivery when appropriate, doulas help shorten labor times, reduce complications, and improve emotional and physical health outcomes.
With the MOM unit, doulas can now reach women in rural parts who may not otherwise receive this vital support. Policy changes are helping expand that reach even further.
How Have Policy Changes Increased Doula Access?
Earlier this year, Arkansas passed Act 965, which mandates Medicaid reimbursement for community-based doulas. This is a huge step forward for maternal health care. It removes cost as a barrier for underserved women and officially recognizes doulas as integral members of the care team.
The Doula Alliance of Arkansas, formed in 2024, played a key role in advocating for this legislation, ensuring that doulas had a voice in state policy decisions.
Research shows that doulas improve birth outcomes, reduce maternal and infant mortality, and enhance the overall quality of care. Act 964 represents a major win for Arkansas families and creates more opportunities for doulas to work alongside providers across the state.
So, What Does This Mean for Providers?
Thanks to innovations like the MOM unit and Act 965, healthcare professionals have new ways to connect patients with services that improve their care. These partnerships make coordination easier, especially in rural communities, and can ultimately lower long-term health costs.
As payors continue emphasizing value-based care, including annual wellness visits and preventive screenings, doulas can serve as trusted allies in guiding mothers through pregnancy, delivery, and beyond.
This echoes the goals of value-based care models: when trusted partners help patients navigate care, outcomes improve. The same concept applies here, with doulas and maternal health specialists supporting mothers at every stage of the journey.
Final Thoughts
Arkansas still has work to do—but these initiatives show what’s possible when advocacy, innovation, and community organizations come together. Providers have a critical role in sustaining this momentum and ensuring mothers and babies, regardless of where they live, receive the care they need to survive and thrive.
