Birthing center

A birthing center is a operated by independent midwives and non-clinical setting.

History

The first birthplace in Germany was opened in 1985 by casting the teaching midwife Dorothea Heidorn, 2005, there were about one hundred birthing centers in Germany.

Objectives and tasks

Goal of an ABC is to assist pregnant women and couples fully and personally during pregnancy, birth and the first time with the infant. It borders thus aware of clinics and plans to help women realize self-determined and emotionally and mentally healthy with their pregnancy, birth and her newborn deal.

Obstetric work

Many birth centers offer information sessions, birth preparation courses in open or closed groups, preparation for life with children, etc.

In most birth centers may be released only on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a midwife, that is, after a normal birth process return mother and child after only a few hours into their own apartment back and be cared for in the aftermath of the follow-up midwife. Some birth centers offer but also patient care in the postpartum period up to six days.

While at a birth in the hospital all costs, even a longer hospital stay will be reimbursed, although a birth born in birth house, but cost of materials consumed and inpatient stays are only accepted after goodwill of the health insurance company. In one case it had, according to a court order, even staying after birth are covered by health insurance.

Many birth centers offer after birth Rückbildungsgymnastik, Still meetings, play groups, and more.

Special risks of birth in the birth center

There is no scientific evidence that the birth in a birth center greater or lesser risks poses as a birth in the hospital. Studies have shown for births without particular risk no significant difference between home births and hospital births. At birth centers no additional risk factors are known.

Organization of birth centers

A network of birth centers has made ​​it its mission to promote the idea of ​​natural birth to present in public, establish a quality assurance and also represented to health insurance companies and the legislature. The network represents, however, only its members, and not all birth centers in Germany.