Virginia Union University Offers New Doula Certification Program

Virginia Union University is the first HBCU to offer two doula courses.

Virginia Union University announced the launch of a new doula certification program, making it the first historically Black college or university in Virginia to offer such a program.

The private institution is partnering with the Virginia Board of Health and Birth in Color, a reproductive health advocacy and education organization. The announcement was made during a press conference on March 18.

Birth in Color was founded by Kenda Sutton-El, who attended the event and praised VUU’s commitment to advancing Black maternal health.

“Any place could create their own doula program, but why not give back to the organization that actually created the awareness around doulas, that actually created the awareness around Black maternal health, and actually use us as a partnership?” Sutton-El said. “That speaks volumes about the character of Virginia Union.”

Sutton-El also highlighted the critical need for doulas, especially within Black communities, as part of addressing maternal health disparities.

“People feel a lot more comfortable talking to people who look like them when it comes to anything health-related,” she said. “And what we do see is a lot of doctors actually thank us because we’re giving them information that they may not have been able to get from the patient.”

According to the Virginia Department of Health, Black women in Virginia are more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to white women. The disparity is part of a broader national trend in which Black women experience significantly higher maternal mortality rates. Efforts like VUU’s doula program aim to expand culturally competent care and reduce these alarming statistics.

According to the Virginia Maternal Mortality Review Team’s 2024 Annual Report, the number of pregnancy-associated deaths in Virginia rose from 64 in 2021 to 67 in 2022, with the rate increasing from 66.9 to 70.1 per 100,000 live births.

These statistics underscore the critical need for culturally competent care to address maternal health disparities in the state. Initiatives like Virginia Union University’s doula certification program aim to expand care and improve outcomes for Black mothers.