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Who Can
Birth at a Birth Center?
Healthy
women anticipating a low-risk pregnancy and birth, who
have investigated their options and decided that an
out-of-hospital birth is right for them may wish to birth
at a birth center. Screening to determine your
risk-status will vary from midwife to midwife. For a list
of midwives in SE Wisconsin, Click
here, or
email us at coral@well-roundedmaternity.com.
If the state
regulations for CPM licensing permits, some midwives will
consider assisting a woman who has had a previous
cesarean in an out-of-hospital birth, under the right
circumstances. At this time, we will contract with
couples wishing a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), if
it is considered acceptable by their midwife, that
midwife has privileges with the center and the state
regulations permit. *
Generally, most
couples choosing a non-hospital birth will have their
babies at home with a qualified midwife. For some
families, however, this may not be ideal. The couple's
home may lack space or privacy, for example. They may
live too far from a hospital to comfortably transport
should the need arise. Or, they may just want the
convenience of going to a homelike facility where
everything is ready for them exactly when they need it.
*AABC recently
published the results of its study regarding outcomes of
VBAC births done out-of-hospitals. This study is
important to anyone wishing to attempt a VBAC outside the
hospital setting. We will post the findings of this
important study as soon as they become
available.
Are
Birth Centers Safe?
Research
shows that Birth Centers are safe, satisfying and offer
cost savings. In
1982, The Institute of Medicine's "Research Issues on
Birth Settings" concluded that birth settings, including
hospitals, had never been adequately studied. In 1989,
the New England Journal of Medicine reported on the
landmark "National Birth Center Study" concluding that:
"Birth
Centers offer a safe and acceptable alternative to
hospital confinement for selected pregnant women,
particularly those who have previously had children,
and that such care leads to relatively few cesarean
sections...Few innovations in health service promise
lower cost, greater availability, and a high degree of
satisfaction and safety... This study suggests that
modern Birth Centers can identify women who are at low
risk for obstetrical complications and can care for
them in a way that provides these
benefits."
Annual reports on the
National Birth Center Experience since that study have
continued to support that conclusion.
Note: Licensure for
Birth Centers is provided by individual states.
Accreditation for centers is based on carefully defined
national standards and is provided by the Commission for
the Accreditation of Birth Centers. At this time,
Wisconsin does not license birth centers.
How Much
Does It Cost?
The
Well-Rounded Maternity Center offers couples a
place to have their
babies as an alternative to their home. As an
"open-staff" facility, a couple must consider the fees of
the midwife who provides care*, in addition to the birth
center fee**.
The center fee
includes the use of the birth tub, birth kit supplies as
required by their midwife, and linens. Couples may stay
at the center throughout their labor and birth, and up to
12 hours following delivery at no extra charge. Couples
are responsible for their own food consumed while at the
center.
*Fees for
midwifes in SE Wisconsin average $1,600-3,800 for
prenatal care and delivery. ** Please call
262-253-6510 for current fee information. There is a significant cash discount for facility
fees that are paid in full prior to the
delivery.
Will My
Health Insurance Cover the Birth Center?
Most
traditional indemnity health insurance companies will
cover a birth center birth
and several local HMOs offer point-of-service ("POS")
plans that may cover our care. Adventist, Aetna,
Alliance, Humana, United Health Care and Wausau Insurance
Co. are just a few of the companies that typically pay
for birth center services, however individual policies
vary. We will work with you to determine if your
insurance company covers our services. Your midwife will
do the same to determine if her care is covered. Please
contact us for more information.