Reflections on the Spring 2024 PNQIN Summit

Ketura’h Edwards-Robinson, president-elect of the Accompany Doula Care Board, recently attended the Spring 2024 Perinatal-Neonatal Quality Improvement Network (PNQIN) Summit. The goal of this year’s conference was to communicate PNQIN quality improvement updates with statewide perinatal teams and partner organizations. Ketura’h shared with us her thoughts and insights from the event. Read more below!

I enjoyed attending this year’s PNQIN Summit. It was an honor to represent Accompany Doula Care, Inc. I learned about other groups doing great work to improve pregnancy related mortality and morbidity rates across Massachusetts. I reconnected with familiar collaborators and made new connections within the community of birth advocates and supporters.

It continues to be shocking when I am reminded why postpartum care and support is so vital in pregnancy related healthcare. 32% of pregnancy related deaths occur in the postpartum period. Doula support can help reduce poor health outcomes in pregnancy like these. 

It was great to see that perinatal mental health was being acknowledged as an important factor in the overall well being of the pregnant person. Doula support aims to provide both physical and emotional support and that often includes encouraging patients to discuss mental health care with their OB provider. 

It was great listening to Elysia Larson, MD and Stephanie Crawford talk about the great work being done at BIDMC through the Supportive Birth Collaborative. I was filled with pride seeing the names of  several members of the Accompany Doula Care organization.  Collaboration between doulas and the hospital based birth team can have a huge influence on the pregnant person’s birth experience. 

Alejandra Garcia