From Advocacy to Action: Supporting Reproductive Rights

Why Reproductive Rights Matter

Reproductive rights are at the heart of respectful, equitable maternity care. These rights ensure that every person has the ability to make informed choices about their body, their pregnancy, and their birth. Yet, around the world - and even here in the UK - those rights are often overlooked, leaving birthing people without the support, information, or autonomy they deserve. 

For doulas, this isn’t just a distant issue - it’s central to our work. We’re there to help women and birthing people to empower themselves, to amplify their voices, and to stand beside them as they navigate one of life’s most transformative moments.

But our role doesn’t stop there. In a time when maternity care is stretched thin, and inequalities are stark, doulas have an opportunity - and a responsibility - to advocate for change. 

Reproductive Rights in Doula Work

At its core, reproductive rights encompass the ability to make decisions about our reproductive health, from pregnancy to birth and beyond. In the context of doula work, this means: 

Access to information: Ensuring people understand their options, risks, and benefits. 

Respect for autonomy: Supporting informed decision-making and advocating for their choices to be respected. 

Equity in care: Acknowledging and addressing systemic barriers, including racial disparities and geographic inequalities in access to care. 

When these rights are upheld, outcomes improve - not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. When they’re denied, the consequences can be devastating. 

Challenges Facing Reproductive Rights Today

Despite progress in some areas, there are still significant challenges: 

1. Limited Choices: In the UK, midwife shortages and overstretched maternity services have reduced access to home births and continuity of care, leaving many feeling they have no real choice.
2. Racial Disparities: Black women in the UK are four times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than white women - a sobering statistic that highlights systemic inequities.
3. Inadequate Postnatal Support: Many families are left to navigate the postpartum period without the care they need, affecting recovery and mental health.

These challenges underscore the importance of advocacy - not just at the policy level, but in every interaction we have with families. 

The Doula’s Role in Advocacy

As doulas, advocacy is woven into our work, though it may look different for each of us. Here’s how we can make a difference: 

• Informing and Signposting: Providing clients with evidence-based information so they feel confident in their decisions.
• Amplifying Voices: Encouraging clients to speak up about their needs and supporting them in articulating their preferences to their care providers. Helping them to be heard.
• Facilitating Conversations: Bridging the gap between clients and medical teams to ensure communication is clear and respectful. 

Advocacy doesn’t mean speaking on behalf of someone else - it means ensuring their voice is heard, their rights are respected, and their choices are honoured. 

Taking Action: How Doulas Can Drive Change 

Moving from advocacy to action involves intentional, practical steps: 

1. Stay Informed: Follow developments in maternity care and reproductive rights. Engage with organisations working to improve birth outcomes and equity.
2. Use Your Platform: Share information on social media, write blogs (like this one!), or even host community events to raise awareness.
3. Collaborate: Partner with other birth workers, midwives, or advocacy groups to create systemic change.
4. Support Local Campaigns: Join or support initiatives that push for better maternity resources, more birth choices, and improved care standards.
5. Foster Community: Create safe spaces—like the Nurturing Birth virtual cuppas—for doulas to connect, share experiences, and strategise for change.

Hope for the Future

Despite the challenges, there is reason for hope. The doula community is growing, and with it comes a louder, more unified voice for change. Birth workers, healthcare professionals, and families are coming together to demand better care, more choices, and greater respect for women and all birthing people. 

Every time a doula supports a client in making an informed decision, we’re contributing to this movement. Every time we educate our communities or collaborate with others, we’re building awareness.

Reproductive rights are more than a political issue - they’re a human issue. They’re about ensuring every birthing person feels empowered, respected, and supported, no matter their circumstances. 

As doulas, we’re not just witnesses to birth; we’re part of a wider movement to make birth better. By turning advocacy into action, we can help create a world where everyone feels heard, every choice is respected, and every family has access to the care they deserve. 

So, what’s your next step in supporting reproductive rights? Whether it’s sharing knowledge, joining a campaign, or simply listening with compassion, every action counts.