Rules of Conduct
A. Propriety. The doula should maintain high standards of personal conduct in the capacity or identity as labour support provider.
B. Competence and Professional Development. The doula should strive to become and remain proficient in the professional practice and the performance of professional functions through continuing education, affiliation with related organizations, and associations with other labour support providers.
C. Integrity. The doula should act in accordance with the highest standards of professional integrity.
Ethical Responsibility to Clients
A. Primacy of Client’s Interests. The doula’s primary responsibility is to their clients.
B. Rights and Prerogatives of Clients. The doula should make every effort to foster maximum self-determination on the part of their clients.
C. Confidentiality and Privacy. The doula should respect the privacy of clients and hold in confidence all information obtained in the course of professional service.
D. Obligation to Serve. The doula should assist each client seeking labour support either by providing services or making appropriate referrals.
E. Reliability. When the doula agrees to work with a particular client, their obligation is to do so reliably, without fail, for the term of the agreement.
F. Fees. When setting fees, the doula should ensure that they are fair, reasonable, considerate, and commensurate with service performed and with due regard for the client’s ability to pay.
Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues
A. Respect, Fairness and Courtesy. The doula should treat colleagues with respect, fairness, courtesy, and in good faith.
B. Dealing with Colleagues’ Clients. The doula has the responsibility to relate to the clients of colleagues with full professional consideration.
Ethical Responsibility to Health Care Providers of the Client
A. Respect, Fairness, and Courtesy. The doula should treat their client’s health care providers with respect, fairness, courtesy, and in good faith.
B. Recognition of Clinical Responsibility. The doula should recognize that responsibility for clinical management belongs to the health care provider (nurse, midwife, physician) and the client. The doula should not interfere with clinical management beyond making suggestions to, or asking questions of, the health care provider and client, based on knowledge of the client’s birth plans and preferences.
Ethical Responsibility to the Labour Support Profession
A. Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession. The doula should uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of the profession.
B. Community Service. The doula should assist the profession in making labour support services available to the general public.
Ethical Responsibility to Society
A. Promoting Maternal and Child Welfare. The doula should promote the general health of birthing people and their babies, and whenever possible, that of their family and friends as well.