Birthing Centers

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Is a birthing center right for you?

An ideal candidate for delivering at a birthing center is a woman having a low risk pregnancy. Birthing centers will pre-screen expectant mothers for risk factors, but if certain hazards arise, birthing centers may not be an ideal fit or choice for delivery. Moreover, complications outside the control of a free-standing birthing center and its personnel will require transportation to a hospital, resulting in delayed medical attention.

Some complications will render a birthing center an impossible option, including: breech position, bleeding, history of complications with previous pregnancies, a multiple pregnancy, gestational diabetes , herpes outbreak, preeclampsia, hypertension, and premature labor or Rh blood incompatibility.

A good birthing center is staffed with experience midwives and obstetricians should be available for consultation and on-call in case emergencies arise during pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum. It is always best to choose a free-standing center close to an area hospital in case of an emergency.

Tips for the Inquisitive

If you are considering a birthing center, be sure to check if the facility is licensed and/or accredited to ensure quality care. Take note of whether or not the facility is clean, organized, and if the providers seem professional. Also be sure to ask what kind of care to expect after delivery and what their policy on the use of anesthesia, narcotics, fetal monitoring, or other medical inventions are.

To find a birthing center near you, visit the American Association of Birth Centers and learn more.

Back