Alabama midwives and freestanding birth centers are asking the Alabama Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that would require birth centers to obtain hospital licenses.
The request follows a recent state appellate court decision allowing the Alabama Department of Public Health to impose hospital-style licensing requirements on freestanding birth centers. Whitney White, the lead counsel in the case, said the requirements could force some birth centers to close.
“So burdensome in fact that it might make it impossible for many birth centers to continue operating at all,” White said. Birth centers generally serve low-risk patients and focus on midwife-led births in a more home-like environment. Hospitals, by contrast, are equipped for higher-risk deliveries and medical interventions such as epidurals and Cesarean sections. Victoria Tice, a local doula who has supported families giving birth in both hospitals and freestanding birth centers, said the facilities could be at risk as the legal fight continues. “It shouldn’t be this hard to give birth safely in the state of Alabama, and it doesn’t have to,” White said. Tice said the rules would require birth centers to meet standards designed for hospitals, standards she said does not reflect how birth centers function. “For example, the width of doorways for hospital beds to fit through when hospital beds don’t exist in birthing centers and width of hallways and specific equipment that is not necessary to attend low intervention physiological birth,” Tice said. Tice said birth centers are often more affordable for low-risk births, making them a critical option for underserved families. “As we know, Alabama has the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States,” Tice said. “Right now, Black women are two times more likely to die in the state of Alabama during childbirth than anyone else. And we’re going to continue to see that unless the state of Alabama steps in and decides that it’s time to make a change.”“Birth centers provide a really critical access point for much-needed pregnancy care, especially in light of the ongoing maternal and infant health crisis and the growing problem of maternity care deserts,” White said. The lawsuit, filed in 2023, challenges ADPH’s push to license freestanding birth centers as hospitals.The birth centers can continue operating as normal for now.They responded with, ”The Attorney General’s office is handling this litigation, and requests for comment should be directed to the AG’s office.“ WAFF 48 reached out to the Attorney General’s Office for comment but have not heard back as of publication.2 charged with child sex abuse in MontgomeryCrews respond to gas leak in Pike Road
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