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A London doula said that nearly all Jewish clients who hired her were concerned whether their identity could influence the care they receive.
By Shula Rosen
Growing numbers of Jewish women in Britain are seeking additional support during childbirth, turning to private doulas out of concern that rising antisemitism could affect their treatment within the National Health Service (NHS), The Jewish Chronicle reports.
Several expectant mothers say the atmosphere since the October 7 attack has left them uneasy about relying solely on hospital staff during vulnerable moments.
London doula Shoshana Maurer said that nearly all Jewish clients who hired her after that date voiced the same worry: whether their identity could influence the care they receive.
Maurer estimated that at least 11 women in the past two years selected her specifically because they feared bias among NHS personnel.
“There is no question that nearly every Jewish client I’ve had since October 7 has had the same anxiety about antisemitism in hospitals: are they going to be treated the same way as everyone else, will they be treated badly?” she told JC.
One mother who recently delivered and asked not to be named described feeling “extremely anxious” throughout her pregnancy. Social media posts she encountered intensified her fears.
She requested a Jewish doula at the birth, saying “I recognised that to have a good birth I really needed to relax… I felt inherently unsafe [and] an awareness of my vulnerability within that space.” She added that the presence of a doula helped her feel emotionally protected.
Cases of NHS workers expressing openly anti-Israel and anti-Jewish views has led the UK government to launch an investigation into antisemitism at the NHS.
In October, it was announced Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed Lord John Mann to lead a rapid review examining how healthcare regulators address antisemitism, whether complaints are handled effectively, and how zero-tolerance policies can be better enforced.
NHS England has also been asked to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism and ensure local trusts do the same, while reviewing uniform rules to safeguard patient comfort and prevent political messaging during care.
Jewish community organizations welcomed the measures but warned that regulators have been slow to act and said meaningful follow-through will be essential to restore trust.
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