Birthing center
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A birthing center or centre is a healthcare facility, staffed by nurse-midwives, midwives and/or obstetricians, for mothers in labor, who may be assisted by doulas and coaches. By attending the laboring mother, the doulas can assist the midwives and make the birth easier. The midwives monitor the labor, and monitor the well-being of the mother and foetus during the birth. Should additional medical assistance be required the mother can be transferred to a hospital.
Birth centers are meant for low-risk labours, and do not supersede hospitals. Free-standing birth centers still require hospital backup where there are complications.
A birth center presents a more home-like environment than a hospital labour ward, typically with low lighting, music, and food (in the early stages of labor). Other characteristics can also include non-institutional furniture such as queen-sized beds, large enough for both mother and father and perhaps birthing tubs or showers for water births. The decor is meant to emphasize the normality of birth. In a birth center, women are free to act more spontaneously during their birth, such as squatting, walking or performing other spontaneous postures.
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US Experience
Like clinics, birth centers arose on the coasts of the U.S. in the 1970s, as alternatives to heavily institutionalized health care. Today, use of birthing center facilities is even covered by health insurance. Several of the practices which were innovated in birth centers are beginning to enter the mainstream hospital labor and delivery floors.
Australian Experience
In a response to the National Maternity Action Plan, State and Territory Governments have started to respond to consumer demand for an increased number of birth centres to be made available to women. Whilst most birth centres are attached to hospitals, some are being established as free-standing centres much further away from hospital back-up. As long as they are within 90 minutes of a hospital, they are considered 'safe'. Most birth centres are now being run solely by midwives, with obstetric back-up only used when there are complications.