JEFFERSON CITYâ Midwives and doulas in mid-Missouri have noticed an increase in home birth services, mostly due to COVID-19. The CDC reported 1,183 births occurred in homes across Missouri in 2018. Birth photographer and trained doula Danielle Saforek said her services increased by 50% since 2019. "Most of my clients inquiring last year were for home births, and the pandemic had a lot to do with it," Saforek said. Audra Davis is a mother of three. She has a rare medical condition called Dysautonomia, a malfunction of the Autonomic Nervous System that regulates heart rate, blood pressure and digestion. She had a hospital birth for her first-born child, but wanted a home birth for her now 8 month old to reduce stress and have her family present during birth.