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Birth centers are
home-like structure that may be free-standing, or located within an existing
healthcare system, that offers care to low-risk women throughout pregnancy,
labor, and delivery. Their program of care is based on the wellness ideology of
pregnancy and birth being normal
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Birth centers offer
family-centered care of the healthy woman before, during, and after normal
pregnancy, labor, and birth. Some of these facilities have their own laboratory
services, offer child birth education, home visits, extra office visits if
needed, and the initial newborn exams
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Birth centers, through
studies, have proven to have comparable intrapartum and neonatal mortality
rates to those of low-risk hospital births. Birth centers are responsible for
meeting regulations of the state in which they are located for licensure. These
centers must follow stringent rules found in the National Standards for Birth
Centers, through Continuous Quality Improvement Program for Birth Centers, and
they must be accredited by the
Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers.
*(Below you can add information specific to your community with linke for your area).
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There are no
free-standing birth centers in Alabama, but there is a large healthcare system
in Birmingham, AL. that has built a new women’s center allowing patients some
labor choices. However, there are no CNMs on staff.
·
The state of
Georgia is more accepting of the midwifery model of care. There is presently
one accredited free-standing birth center located in Savannah, GA., and plans
are in the works for one in Atlanta, GA.
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