Michele Giordano and Nan Strauss wrote an op-ed in today’s amNY about the push to increase the number of birth centers in New York.
“Birth centers have not been able to keep up with demand. As a result, New York State women seek alternatives to hospitals, with data showing that out-of-hospital births have risen by 68 percent between 2005 and 2013 — 1,085 more out-of-hospital births. With birth-center care sought by women and research showing that centers provide quality and cost-effective maintenance and midwives, it’s time to make more options available to the 230,000 women giving birth a year in our state.
New York lags behind other states, with just two existing freestanding birth centers — one in Brooklyn and one in Buffalo. California has 24 freestanding birth centers; Texas has 62, and Florida 29.”