Former doula turned OB‑GYN calls for better understanding between the two professions

Debra Eluobaju, a maternal‑fetal medicine fellow who previously worked as a doula, reflects on the gap between doulas and obstetricians. She argues that many conflicts in maternity care stem from simple misunderstandings of each other’s roles.

She recounts a recent urgent cesarean where the surgical team focused on speed and safety, while a doula would have been attuned to the patient’s disrupted birth plan and emotional experience. The contrast highlights how each side prioritizes different aspects of the same event.

Eluobaju urges both professions to listen more to one another, suggesting that shared respect could improve outcomes and patient satisfaction in childbirth.