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- 3 - accessHealthNews.net May 2023 Volume 9 | Issue No. 70 Altruism Media, Inc. (AMI) is hosting two Meet Your Area Doula events in May to introduce birthing people in Kansas and Missouri to doulas who can support them from pregnancy through at least one year postpartum through a new program, The Maternal and Infant Health (MaIH) Project. AMI offers The MaIH Project, which connects pregnant and birthing people to a doula and community health worker (CHW) team to support their perinatal health journey. Meet Your Area Doula - Lafayette County will be co-hosted by Lafayette County Health Department (LCHD) and held at LCHD, 547 S. Business Highway 13, Lexington, Mo. on May 25, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet Your Area Doula - Wyandotte County will be co-hosted by Wyandotte Health Council and held at Wyandotte Health Council, 803 Armstrong Avenue, Kansas City, Kan. on May 30, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. These upcoming events will introduce individuals in Lafayette County and Wyandotte County to area doulas who are available to provide support, answer questions, and help them to navigate pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Because there are many misconceptions about doulas and their role, this event will provide clarity and foster connections for individuals interested in doula support. Missouri ranks seventh in the U.S. for states with the highest maternal mortality rates, and Black, Brown, and rural birthing people are disproportionately impacted. This is due to a number of factors including social determinants of health (SDoH) such as lack of transportation, food insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, low income, and other factors directly contributing to negative birth experiences and health outcomes for birthing people and their babies. According to the American Pregnancy Association, doula support throughout the perinatal journey contributes to healthier, safer, and more positive birth experiences and health outcomes. Doulas can answer questions, explain medical terminology and break down what to expect for various procedures or complications, provide techniques to manage stress and pain during labor, support clients in creating a birth plan that accommodates their desires for birth, prepare the birthing parent's partner to provide support during birth and postpartum, and address any concerns or fears. Doulas can also provide physical and emotional support throughout the perinatal journey, depending on what the birthing parent wants and needs. Doulas do not dictate what the birthing parent needs, but rather empower the birthing person to feel comfortable expressing their desires for their birth and providing them the information needed to make confident decisions and provide informed consent. Through these events, individuals in Lafayette County and Wyandotte County will learn: what a doula is, how they support birthing people and their partners, and how they work with hospitals and other providers to help facilitate a happy, healthy birth and improve maternal morbidity and mortality rates for birthing people in Kansas and Missouri. Event attendees will also learn about The MaIH Project, which connects birthing people from pregnancy through postpartum to a doula and CHW who will refer them to the health care and social services to improve their likelihood of a successful, positive perinatal journey. Each event will include a doula presentation, an overview of The MaIH Project, a question and answer session, and an opportunity for attendees to sign up to receive support. Light refreshments will be available. Join AMI for Meet Your Area Doula - Lafayette County on May 25 or Meet Your Area Doula - Wyandotte County on May 30. To learn more about The MaIH Project and get connected to support, call or text 844.860.0111 or visit https://altruism- media.org/the-maih-project/. Meet Your Area Doula AND GET CONNECTED TO MATERNAL HEALTH CARE AND SUPPORT