every mom deserves support: a partnership for healthy births at mary’s place
Pregnancy and childbirth can be both beautiful and challenging—especially for women experiencing homelessness, language barriers, or cultural isolation. That’s why our partnership with Ayan Maternity Healthcare Support, founded by longtime doula and advocate Ayan Abdulahi, is so vital for the families we serve.
Ayan’s work is deeply personal. Carrying on the legacy of her mother, she has been supporting women through childbirth for nearly 30 years. When she arrived in the U.S., she saw an urgent need for more doulas, especially for immigrant, refugee, and low-income families. She founded Ayan Maternity Healthcare Support to fill that gap, ensuring that every woman—regardless of her circumstances—receives the guidance, advocacy, and care she deserves.
Unlike medical providers, doulas don’t deliver babies or prescribe treatment. Instead, they walk alongside families throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum—providing education, emotional support, and advocacy. A doula is often the person who knows a mother best, visiting her home, speaking her language, and building trust. As Dominique Alex, CEO of Mary’s Place, shared, “It’s like having a coach and a partner—someone who helps you feel seen, heard, and supported every step of the way.”
Through our partnership, Ayan and her team provide doula services, maternal education classes, and even free doula training workshops for women in our shelters. These classes don’t just cover labor—they also address maternal mental health, postpartum recovery, and even include joyful activities like music to build community.
new and expecting moms attend a maternal education class at our family shelter
For moms with high-risk pregnancies, Ayan’s team goes a step further. They’ve developed screening tools and resources—like the “blue band” project for women at risk of preeclampsia or high blood pressure—so that moms can track symptoms, monitor their health, and seek care before complications become dangerous.
This work is saving lives. Black women in the U.S. are more than twice as likely, in some recent years around 3-3.5 times more likely, to die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes as White women. By providing culturally competent care, in-home support, and advocacy, Ayan’s team is reducing disparities and empowering moms to advocate for themselves.
When Ayan first partnered with Mary’s Place, 35 pregnant or postpartum women were living in our shelters. Many were immigrants and refugees, far from their support systems. Ayan recognized herself in their struggles—having once fled her own country and experienced homelessness. “Every mom deserves the best maternal healthcare,” she says.
Today, thanks to this partnership, families at Mary’s Place are not only accessing critical healthcare but also gaining confidence, knowledge, and community during one of the most vulnerable times of their lives.
We’re grateful to Ayan Maternity Healthcare Support for standing beside our families and working with us to ensure that every mother has the chance for a safe, supported, and healthy birth.