A primary goal of the Birth and Wellness Center is to improve the health of the women and infants we serve. The midwifery model of care has been shown by many studies to do just that. According to the NY Times, the lives of 8,000 Amercian babies could be saved each year if we could improve our prematurity rates to match the rates that Sweden maintains, the safest country in the world for babies to be born. Interestingly, in Sweden, there is about 1 midwife for every 1,000 people, compared to 1 midwife for every 30,000 people in the U.S, and out-of-hospital birth is the norm in Sweden. The Times also points out that many babies are born prematurely due to early induction and cesarean. These procedures are reduced significantly when a woman receives prenatal care by midwives at a birth center, due to a focus on education, support, and encouraging women to take responsibility for their own health. For more research about the benefits of birth center care, visit www.mobirthcenters.org. You can read the NY Times article here.