Mercy Health Expands Womens Health Team with New Doulas

Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center is expanding its commitment to personalized, compassionate care for expectant mothers with the addition of doulas to its Women’s Health team.

Doulas provide emotional, physical, and educational support to women and their families before, during, and shortly after childbirth. Their presence on the Labor and Delivery unit enhances the patient experience by offering continuous, personalized care alongside the hospital’s experienced nurses and physicians.
“We are proud to continue growing our women’s health services to meet the needs of our community,” said Rachel Fissel, practice manager for Mercy Health – Springfield Obstetrics and Gynecology. “By welcoming these new doulas, we’re ensuring more patients have access to the compassionate support that can make such a meaningful difference during the birth experience.”

Mercy Health Physicians Springfield/Urbana OB/GYN has three locations – 1108 Vester Avenue in Springfield, 1821 East High Street in Springfield, and 204 Patrick Avenue in Urbana – all aimed at providing comprehensive women’s health care with a patient-centered approach. Adding access to professionally trained doulas will only bolster that care journey, supporting the practice’s patients from pregnancy through delivery at Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center as well as into postpartum recovery – all at no extra cost. 
Deshae Jackson joins the team as a certified birth doula and Certified Lactation Specialist. She has been serving families since 2020, is DONA International Birth Certified, and has a passion for educating and empowering expectant mothers throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journeys. Her dedication to holistic support and equitable care makes her a valuable addition to Mercy Health’s maternal care team.

Robine Melse, also joining the team, will begin her doula training and certification process under the guidance of Mercy Health. A fluent Haitian Creole speaker, Robine will help better serve a growing population of Haitian Creole-speaking patients in the area, providing culturally competent care and communication support to ensure every family feels seen, heard, and understood.
Mercy Health is also in the process of hiring a third doula, furthering its commitment to accessible, continuous care for expectant mothers across the region. With the arrival of these new care providers, Mercy Health is focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes with specific goals that include reducing preterm births, increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates, decreasing the transfer of pregnancy women to higher-level facilities due to high-risk factors, lowering maternal and infant ER visits post-delivery, as well as increasing attendance at birthing education classes. 

Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center’s Labor and Delivery program provides expert maternity care in a warm, family-centered environment, offering advanced medical services and the personal support that expectant families deserve. To learn more about the maternity care offered there, call 937-399-7100 or visit mercy.com.