[hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”aboveTheFold” /][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Many people often believe that a doula and nurse midwife share the same duties. However, their roles differ considerably. If you are pregnant, you can hire a nurse midwife as your healthcare provider for pregnancy and delivery and hire a doula as an additional support person during and after labor. A doula, though, cannot perform clinical duties such as delivering babies.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]If you are considering choosing a doula or a nurse midwife to assist you during pregnancy and birth, this guide will help you understand the differences between the two.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”belowTheFold” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What Does a Nurse Midwife Do?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What Does a Doula Do?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Should I Use a Nurse Midwife, Doula, or Both?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Deciding whether to hire a [hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-midwife/becoming-a-nurse-midwife-vs-doula/”]nurse midwife or doula[/hen-ui-link] is two separate decisions. A nurse midwife offers medical care during pregnancy and childbirth, while a doula offers nonmedical advice and support. Both midwives and doulas can lead to better health outcomes for pregnant people and their babies.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]People who receive their prenatal and birth care from midwives have [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004667.pub3/full” target=”_blank”]fewer medical interventions[/hen-ui-link], less chance of preterm birth, and higher chances of a vaginal birth than those who have physicians as their care providers. Similarly, expectant women who use a doula [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3647727/” target=”_blank”]have better outcomes[/hen-ui-link] and greater satisfaction with their birth experiences than those without a doula. Continuous labor support [hen-ui-link href=”https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14710137/” target=”_blank”]offers many benefits[/hen-ui-link], though it’s not clear which kind of caregiver might be best.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]A doula is not qualified to offer medical advice or practice medicine, so they can’t help with medical needs or perform delivery the way a nurse midwife can. However, a birth doula provides care for one family during childbirth. A nurse midwife may be overseeing multiple births at one time, particularly in a hospital setting, so having a doula present can help ensure continuous nonmedical care.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Nurse midwives are licensed in all 50 states to provide medical care to pregnant people throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the early postpartum period. If your health insurance plan covers maternity care, they will cover care with a nurse midwife.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Most health insurance companies do not cover doula care, but many doulas offer services on a sliding scale basis. In some communities, hospitals, and birth centers, volunteer doulas are available. Many families choose to pay out of pocket for a doula to have continuous support and guidance during and after labor.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Frequently Asked Questions: Nurse Midwife vs. Doula[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Should I get a doula if I have a midwife?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]A doula can provide a different type of support to a pregnant woman or new mother. Both midwives and doulas offer education, advice, and support across all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and labor. While a nurse midwife can give some labor support, they are responsible for monitoring the health of the person in labor and the baby. They also determine all medical decisions.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Since a doula is not a medical professional, they can remain completely focused on you and your needs. A doula can provide constant support to the pregnant woman and her partner, while a nurse midwife might have to supervise multiple births at the same time. If you are a first-time parent or don’t have a community ready to provide support, a doula can be a valuable addition to a nurse midwife’s care.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Can a doula deliver a baby?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Doulas are not licensed to deliver babies. They are qualified to provide nonclinical support during delivery. Only a physician or midwife is licensed to supervise delivery. During your delivery, a doula can act as your coach and advocate with the medical team.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Do insurances cover doulas?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]There are no legal mandates for doula coverage, so the answer will vary based on your individual insurance plan. A growing number of insurance carriers will pay partially for some doula services. This is more likely if a physician or nurse midwife can document a particular need to have a doula, such as a higher-risk pregnancy.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]How is a midwife different from a doula?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The biggest doula vs. nurse midwife difference is that a nurse midwife is a healthcare practitioner, while a doula is a coach and advisor. Both offer support and advice, but their roles are completely different.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Depending on the type of practice where your nurse midwife works, they might offer only short medical appointments in a clinical setting. A doula can often provide more personalized support than a nurse midwife, including home visits and more intensive work with your family.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Reviewed by:[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”lg”][hen-ui-expert-bio name=”Meredith Wallis, CNM, NP” img-src=”https://res.cloudinary.com/highereducation/image/upload/e_grayscale/v1585770487/experts/Meredith_Wallis_200x200.png” img-alt=”Meredith Wallis, CNM, NP” layout=”horizontal” background=”none” /][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Meredith Wallis, CNM, NP, is a certified nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She received her master’s degree in midwifery from Oregon Health & Science University in 2011. Wallis specializes in out-of-hospital birth, lactation support, and childbirth education. Her professional passions include holistic medicine, vaginal birth after cesarean delivery, and evidence-based care.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Wallis is a paid member of our Healthcare Review Partner Network. [hen-ui-link href=”/healthcare-review-partners//”]Learn more about our review partners[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Related Resources[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-midwife/best-online-nurse-midwife-programs/”]Best Online Nurse Midwifery Programs[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”/careers/labor-and-delivery-nurse/”]Labor and Delivery Nurse Career Overview[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Meet a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”/careers/neonatal-nurse/salary/”]Neonatal Nurse Salary Guide[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ style=”font-size: small;font-style: italic;”]Feature Image: Petri Oeschger / Moment / Getty Images[/hen-ui-text]