A holistic view from birth to the end of life: end-of-life doulas and new developments in end-of-life care in the West.

The relatively newly-developed profession of birth doulas, who accompany perinatal women and their families during the birth process, has been in existence since the 1990s. End-of-life (EoL) doulas are another emerging profession in developed Western countries. Doulas provide non-medical support for both childbearing women and people at the EoL, as well as their families. Although birth and death would appear to be opposites, they share common characteristics and challenges, such as tending to be treated in medicalised care settings, and that they both concern vulnerable parties. Doulas, with a holistic view encompassing birth and death, may be able to contribute to the improvement of the healthcare system in modern societies.