Megi Health says doula training cut knowledge gaps in preeclampsia care

Megi Health released national training results showing its High-Risk Doula Certification improved scores on hypertensive disorder knowledge among 347 doulas across 35 states and Washington, D.C. The company says the findings matter as ACOG pushes more collaborative care teams and maternal mortality remains a major risk for Black and marginalized women.

Why it matters: - Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading and largely preventable cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. - Megi Health says doula training can help more pregnant patients recognize warning signs earlier and seek care sooner. - The report also points to a broader maternal-health gap: preventive knowledge is not evenly distributed across the doula workforce.

What happened: - Megi Health released a national Training Impact Report on its High-Risk Doula Certification. - The report measured matched pre- and post-certification results from 347 doulas across 35 states and Washington, D.C. - Megi Health said it has now trained hundreds of doulas across 40 states. - The certification is recognized by the International Childbirth Education Association and provides 29 continuing education credits. - The program trains birth doulas and perinatal support professionals to recognize, support and escalate hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

The details: - Average HDP knowledge scores increased from 77.6% before certification to 92.7% after certification. - The share of doulas reaching a “high proficiency” level of 85% or above rose from 32.6% to 83.6%. - Relative variability in scores across the workforce fell 53.4%, showing more consistent knowledge, not just higher average scores. - On a key blood-pressure question, 53.6% of participants correctly identified 145/101 mmHg as requiring prompt clinical follow-up before certification. - After certification, 99.2% answered that question correctly. - The certification is a six-week program focused on high-risk pregnancy support from pre-conception through postpartum recovery. - The curriculum covers blood pressure in pregnancy, pre-eclampsia and longer-term cardiovascular health. - The program was built and validated by a global faculty of more than 25 maternal-health experts across obstetrics, cardiology and perinatal mental health. - ACOG issued its first formal recommendation in August 2026 that OB-GYNs understand doulas’ role in care and build collaborative care teams including them.

Between the lines: - The report suggests doulas are not just a support layer; with training, they can function as a practical safety net for spotting warning signs that are often mistaken for normal pregnancy symptoms. - The biggest improvement was not only in average performance but in narrowing the spread across participants, which matters if health systems want reliable performance at scale. - The timing also aligns with a wider push toward team-based maternal care, especially as preventable maternal harm continues to hit Black and marginalized women disproportionately. - Nina Sesto, CEO and co-founder of Megi Health, said the results show doulas are hungry for more education and need digital tools to act on what they know.

What's next: - Megi Health says the certification is designed to keep expanding as an intervention for high-risk pregnancy care. - The company says the full Training Impact Report is available here. - Megi Health said it will continue working across the U.S. with doulas, health systems and payers. - The company’s broader platform includes remote patient monitoring, preeclampsia detection technology and workforce training.

The bottom line: - Megi Health is betting that standardized doula education can improve maternal safety by making high-risk pregnancy knowledge more consistent, not just more available.