Frequently Asked Questions.
What is Atlanta Birth Center?
Atlanta Birth Center is a Georgia-based non-profit organization that operates Atlanta’s only freestanding, nationally accredited birth center, providing an optimal birth experience as anticipated by a childbearing woman and her family. We offer a home-like environment with a program of family-centered care before, during and after pregnancy, labor and birth.
How do I get started?
GYN Care
Pre-conception, fertility, and GYN (non-pregnant) visits including well-woman/person exams, contraceptive care, etc., can be scheduled by calling or emailing the front desk.
Prenatal care
For pregnant clients, viewing our virtual orientation is required. You can find the registration form that will inform you how to access the orientation link and the follow up steps of the intake process on our New Client page.
After viewing orientation, you will be able to complete an intake form for review and have your medical records faxed or emailed to us if you have seen another provider for this pregnancy. The clinical staff must review your case and certify that you are low-risk before accepting you for an initial visit. During the intake process you will also make financial payment arrangements. With your intake packet, we will send you a Verification of Benefits form to facilitate your conversation with your insurance carrier (if you have one) about what your benefits are and whether or not you will need to pre-pay for your care, fully or partially.
Through the orientation video, you’d be surprised how many questions will be answered there that you didn’t even know you had! Once these steps are complete, our intake nurse and midwives will review your intake and records and then we will call to schedule your first prenatal visit with us once approved.
Who is eligible for this model of care?
All women can benefit from the midwifery model of care. For some women, an out-of-hospital birth is the optimal setting. We will talk with you about your unique circumstances, health needs and personal preferences to help you determine the best environment for your baby’s birth. We adhere to eligibility guidelines set forth nationally by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers and the rules and regulations of the state of Georgia. We are committed to remaining a licensed and accredited birth center by following these regulations, so we can keep this an an option for families in our community. Although below is a basic summary of what we consider to be eligible for prenatal and birth care with ABC, we do recognize individual circumstances and additional questions that arise when reading this list. This is why we require (and are nationally required to) an in person attendance to our tours or Meet the Midwives, which are listed on our events calendar. We also assess risk throughout pregnancy knowing things can develop later and refer or plan hospital birth depending on the situation. If interested and seeming eligible, we have a concise intake process during which we can explore any nuances to your history if needed.
Candidates for prenatal care AND birth at Atlanta Birth Center’s freestanding, out-of-hospital facility will be:
Age range of 16-36 ONLY if first birth; NO age restriction for subsequent births
Healthy, without significant chronic medical conditions (ex. High blood pressure/cardiac conditions, current or history of seizure disorders, bleeding disorders, type 1 diabetes, gastric bypass surgery). Some conditions we can manage or co-manage like hypothyroid, depression/anxiety, etc.
Single baby, not twins (this may be discovered after the first trimester, and we will refer in those situations)
No previous cesarean birth or major uterine surgery
No previous preterm birth (before 37 weeks gestation)
No previous pregnancy loss after 20 weeks gestation
Regular prenatal care with required testing (initial labs, 20 wk ultrasound, 24-28 wk glucose tolerance test)
Uncomplicated pregnancy without conditions that necessitate continued care in a hospital setting and/or by physician
Typically, we are able to accept first time parents up to 32 weeks and parents with a history of previous vaginal birth up to 36 weeks
***If you DO NOT meet the criteria above, we are now accepting a limited number of clients for prenatal care and a planned hospital birth with our ABC staff in collaboration with the Morehouse School of Medicine OBs and Midwives! Please reach out to us for more information and an individualized review for acceptance on a case-by-case basis.***
How does Atlanta Birth Center differ from a maternity ward or hospital-based birth?
We are a freestanding, independent, nonprofit healthcare facility, accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). Unlike other area hospitals, we practice a midwifery model of care that honors the body’s time-tested, innate ability to do what it does best, while providing advanced-level clinical care only when it makes sense. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years, generally without complication. Over the last hundred years, advances in medicine have enabled invaluable intervention when complications arise. Unfortunately, the exception has become the norm: nearly every pregnancy and birth is treated like an illness or emergency requiring intervention. This actually increases risk and cost.
What is the midwifery model of care?
It is among the oldest of all human professions. The World Health Organization states that this model of care is “the most appropriate and cost-effective type of healthcare provider to be assigned to the care of normal pregnancy and birth”†. It’s based on the premise that pregnancy and birth are normal life events and should be woman-centered, including: prenatal care, attendance during labor, and birth, postpartum support, minimizing unnecessary interventions, well-woman care and primary care, referrals to specialists as needed, options of care settings, continuity of care, mind-body-spirit-social support, and education.
What are the benefits of the midwifery model of care?
Research shows: lower neonatal and infant mortality rates, lower risk of low birth weight, lower rate of preterm birth, higher rate of prenatal education on wellness and health, reduced use of pain medication and epidural anesthesia, lower use of interventions, fewer hospital visits during pregnancy, lower risk of perineal lacerations and episiotomies, fewer Cesarean births, increased incidence of breastfeeding, more women reporting feeling in control during labor, and higher reports of having a “supportive relationship” with your provider during labor and birth.
How many births are attended by midwives?
In the U.S., 7-10% of all births are attended by midwives. In many parts of the world, midwives are the primary attendant of births. Denmark, England, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Scotland and Finland, midwives attend 65-80% of all births.
How does establishing a birth center impact the cost of healthcare?
Birth-related expenditures represent the highest percentage of health insurance claims to both private insurance and Medicaid†. Currently, 0.25% of all births occur at birth centers. If this figure were increased to 10%, facility charges alone would result in cost savings of $2.6 billion yearly.† The reduction in cesarean births proven by the birth center model could save an additional $5 billion in healthcare costs per year.
Why do we need a birth center in Atlanta?
Until the summer of 2016, there was only freestanding birth center in Georgia that follows the midwifery model of care—in Savannah, over 260 miles away. Atlanta families significantly benefit from having such an option in our city and have been demanding one for over 10 years.
Why don't hospitals duplicate the birth center experience?
Hospitals are uniquely designed to address situations requiring acute levels of clinical care, and excel at doing so. However, the vast majority of pregnancies do not require such care. Placing a normal labor in this environment increases the likelihood of unnecessary medical intervention, which increases both risk and cost. All women and babies will receive the safest care when they labor and birth in the environment most optimal for their unique needs and health status. Depending on context, this may be either an in-hospital or an out-of-hospital birth with arrangements for appropriate and timely continuity of care between settings.
What happens if there is a complication during labor or childbirth?
Most complications can be resolved or stabilized with onsite resources at the birth center. If necessary, we will not hesitate to transfer you and your baby to a nearby hospital for care. Similar to most birth centers across the country, if a change in your care plan includes hospital-based care for your labor, birth, and/or postpartum, our midwives will hand off care to skilled and committed providers at other collaborating hospitals. Your ABC midwives will do everything possible to make this a safe and seamless transition. Most transfers occur for non-emergent reasons, like a need for a medical induction, slow progress of labor, maternal exhaustion, maternal preference, etc. Our total percentage of transfers to hospital-based care either prior to or during labor is between 30-40%. More than half of these are decisions made prior to the admission in labor to the birth center. Additionally 0-5% of mothers or newborns need hospital based care after birth. The percentage of emergency transfers to a hospital is approximately 1%.
How do I pay for care at ABC?
We accept most private insurances and Medicaid (Amerigroup). We also accept self-pay and healthshare clients. No one is refused services because of a lack of financial means to pay. Atlanta Birth Center offers a variety of payment plans to meet your financial needs. There is a discounted/sliding fee schedule available based on family size and income. Please ask one of our administrative staff members for a copy of our financial assistance application if you have financial need and do not qualify for Medicaid. Even our full self-pay rate represents a potential cost savings of $10,000, $25,000, or more compared to hospitals in the Metro Atlanta area.
How are things changing due to COVID-19?
Ensuring the safety and well-being of our future, and those entrusted to care for it, is the essence of midwifery. While the mission of Atlanta Birth Center has always been to continue the critical work of supporting all women, giving them options and helping them to feel confident, calm and ready for birth, this has become a top priority as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.
As such, ABC and the entire Atlanta birthing community has responded to continue to provide safe and compassionate care for birthing families. Innovative options have become available such as comprehensive virtual childbirth education, exercise classes, health education, lactation support, support groups, mental health services, and even virtual doula support. Our midwives, nurses, collaborating physicians, and hospitals have been in communication with each other in a reassuring, integrative way. We are adhering to enhanced sanitization practices and have incorporated the use of PPE (personal protection equipment) to protect staff and clients alike from infection.
Through these efforts and more, we are thrilled to report that we have welcomed many healthy and beautiful babies and will continue to do the work and take the necessary precautions to ensure this continues. We are communicating ongoingly with our current clients as COVID-19 related changes in policies and procedures are rolled out. For more information on current policies, please give us a call.