Why does accreditation matter for your family?
"I chose an accredited birth center because I wanted the assurance of safe, high-quality, evidence-based care that would lead to best possible outcomes for me and my babies."
Lynn Kane, Birth Center Parent
Here are a few examples of how The Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC) ensures dedication to exceptional care for you and your baby.
- The standards require best practices in maternity care, so CABC accredited birth centers can keep up with the latest research.
- CABC accredited birth centers have proper training and equipment to provide safe care in emergencies.
- CABC Accreditation requires accredited birth centers to use a shared decision-making process, which helps them better understand what you need as they work with you through your pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum and new parent experiences.
"It is really important to me knowing that I can trust the safety and quality of the birth center where I go for care. I checked to make sure I found an accredited birth center in my area."
Rachel Langan, Birth Center Parent
What does Accreditation mean?
The Mark of Quality
The Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC) provides support, education, and accreditation to developing and existing freestanding birth centers and Alongside Midwifery Units.
When a birth center chooses to be accredited by the CABC, they are measured against rigorous standards.
Learn more about these standards and what accreditation means for you.
They are the only published standards which can validate that the birth center practices safe, evidence-based maternity care and avoids inappropriate use of technology.
Look for the CABC Accredited Seal at your birth center.
Learn more about excellent birth centers
Common Questions
Which health care providers can be the primary attendant at births at an accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units?
- Certified Nurse-Midwives
- Certified Professional Midwives
- Certified Midwives
- Licensed Midwives
- Family Practice Physicians
- Obstetricians
What is available for pain relief during labor at accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units?
CABC accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units offer a variety of methods of pain relief, including:
- Warm water immersion
- Freedom to walk and choose body positions that are most comfortable
- Continuous support from birth center staff and your chosen support team
- Music therapy
- Massage or therapeutic touch
- Heat or cold therapy
- Herbal and Homeopathic remedies
- And more
Some CABC accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units offer nitrous oxide gas and a small number of centers offer limited intravenous pain medicine. To use these medicines, the centers must have appropriate policies and procedures in place. These medicines can help the client in labor and the effect on the baby is limited and gone before the birth.
Can an accredited freestanding birth center and alongside midwifery unit use drugs for the induction or augmentation of labor, forceps, or vacuum?
No. Because they are not appropriate for use in normal labor, the CABC accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units do not use certain interventions, such as vacuum assisted delivery, medication to speed up labor, continuous electronic monitoring, and epidurals.
What does a CABC accredited freestanding birth center and alongside midwifery unit do if there is an emergency?
An emergency is an urgent, life or death situation. At CABC accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units, the staff work hard to avoid such a dire situation. In the event that emergencies do arise before, during labor, or after birth, and interventions are likely to be required, the CABC-accredited freestanding birth center and alongside midwifery unit have the following in place:
- Emergency equipment, supplies, and training to start basic emergency care and stabilize the client or baby so that they may be transferred.
- Regular emergency drills required for all staff to stay current with the necessary skills.
- A relationship with the Emergency Medical Services transport system to make the transition as smooth as possible.
- A specific plan for transferring to a hospital acute care obstetrical unit, including the transfer of records and care.
In 98% of transfers from birth centers, in labor or after birth, are not emergency situations (Stapleton SR, Osborne C, Illuzzi J. Outcomes of care in birth centers: Demonstration of a durable model. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. 2013. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jmwh.12003/full.).
So, why do transfers happen? There are numerous possibilities and the decision to transfer is almost always a mutual decision between the client and the midwife.
Can an accredited freestanding birth center and alongside midwifery unit do TOLAC/VBACs?
Yes, CABC accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units may choose to offer Trial of Labor After Cesarean (TOLAC). (Note: Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) is one result of TOLAC.)
Can an accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units do breech births?
Breech births are associated with higher risk of certain complications that require interventions that are only available at the hospital acute care obstetrical unit. For this reason, CABC accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units will transfer mothers who are known to have babies in the breech position to the hospital acute care obstetrical unit. If the midwives have hospital privileges, then a vaginal delivery with the midwife may be possible.
Can an accredited freestanding birth center and alongside midwifery unit do twin/multiple births?
Twin/Multiple births are associated with higher risk of certain complications that require interventions that are only available at the hospital acute care obstetrical unit. For this reason, CABC accredited freestanding birth centers and alongside midwifery units will transfer mothers who are known to have twins or multiple babies to the hospital acute care obstetrical unit. If the midwives have hospital privileges, then a vaginal delivery with the midwife and collaborative physician may be possible.
The CABC listens to parents
Do you wish to file a complaint about a CABC-accredited birth center?