Lincoln Hospital receives certification for Doula-Friendly maternity care

Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, led by Cristina Contreras, is among the first three hospitals within the NYC Health + Hospitals system to receive certification from the Doula-Friendly Hospital Program. This initiative aims to provide more inclusive and welcoming maternity care by integrating doulas—professionals who offer physical, emotional, and informational support to pregnant individuals—into maternal care teams.

Other facilities completing the program include Montefiore Medical Center and NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi. The expansion addresses significant maternal and infant health disparities in the Bronx, which faces the city’s highest infant mortality rate and highest rate of premature births. Data indicates that Black and Hispanic women experience disproportionately poorer maternal health outcomes in the region.

While demand for doula services is rising nationally, access remains unequal across New York City. In 2025, less than 6% of births in the Bronx utilized doula support, compared to nearly 64% in Brooklyn. Since its launch in 2022, the city-wide initiative has provided doula care to more than 4,200 people.