The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has established a formal scope of practice for credentialed doulas, creating a clear boundary between non-clinical birth support and medical care.
Under these guidelines, credentialed doulas provide physical, emotional, and evidence-based education support during the prenatal and postpartum periods. This support includes facilitating linkages to community-based resources and providing counseling regarding termination of pregnancy, pre-conception, infant loss, and pregnancy loss.
NMDOH Prohibits Doulas from Performing Medical Tasks
The NMDOH standards explicitly prohibit credentialed doulas from performing medical or clinical tasks while serving in that role. Specifically, doulas are barred from:
- Conducting vaginal examinations or fetal heart tone checks.
- Taking a client’s temperature or blood pressure.
- Providing postpartum clinical care.
- Diagnosing or treating clients in any modality.
If a doula possesses certifications in complementary modalities outside this scope—such as placenta encapsulation or massage therapy—they must clearly communicate to clients and other parties that these are additional services.
Advocacy and Professional Conduct
The guidelines define the doula’s advocacy role as one of mediation, information, and support. Doulas are expected to encourage clients to express their concerns and ask questions of their care providers based on prenatal conversations and birth plans. However, the NMDOH notes that this role does not permit a doula to make decisions for the client or speak on the client’s behalf.
Professional requirements for credentialed doulas include maintaining client confidentiality and adhering to mandated reporting laws regarding child neglect and abuse under State Statute 32A-4-3. Doulas must maintain accurate records of client encounters in compliance with New Mexico Administrative Codes regarding the retention and disposition of public records.
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