CHI Franciscan Health opens the only outpatient midwifery birth center on a hospital campus in Washington state

TACOMA, Wash., Aug. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CHI Franciscan Health, a leading health care system in the Pacific Northwest opens the only outpatient midwifery birth center located on a hospital campus in Washington state on Monday, Aug. 15. The Midwifery Birth Center at St. Joseph will improve access to care for low-risk expectant mothers who will deliver their babies with the assistance of a midwife.

"This is truly noteworthy—creating a center especially for delivering babies with the skilled care of a midwife in a comfortable, safe environment—steps away from a hospital," said Ketul J. Patel, CHI Franciscan Health CEO. "The Midwifery Birth Center is yet another example of how we are bringing innovative services to the Pacific Northwest and answering the needs of our communities."

The Midwifery Birth Center, located at 1708 S. Yakima in Tacoma, will provide an additional birthing option for mothers seeking a patient-centered, natural childbirth experience. The state-of-the-art facility offers families individual birth suites with a wide-range of amenities, including a hydrotherapy birthing tub, birthing ball, birthing hammock, a comfortable queen-sized bed and many other comforts found in a traditional home. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) and support staff will care for mothers and their families at the center. Currently, 40 percent of babies born at St. Joseph Medical Center are delivered by midwives.

Ashley Soares, delivered a baby boy at St. Joseph earlier this summer with a midwife and was very happy with the experience. She's excited about the new center.

"My midwife made me feel like I was a participant and we were working together on the goals for my birth," said Soares. "I wish I'd been able to deliver at the new center. It's really the best of both worlds offering a holistic approach to birthing with the hospital right there."

St. Joseph Medical Center's Family Birth Center, as well as St. Joseph's Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), are both easily accessible from the Midwifery Birth Center, in case any emergencies or concerns arise and a mother or newborn baby requires advanced health care services. St. Joseph Medical Center's team includes nurse midwives, obstetricians, maternal fetal medicine specialists and neonatologists from Seattle Children's Hospital.

Community Open House

The community is invited to tour the new facility and meet Midwifery Birth Center staff on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information visit www.chifranciscan.org/midwiferycenter.

The Midwifery Birth Center is the only hospital ambulatory birth center located on a hospital campus in Washington, and the only hospital program in the state to offer certified doula support at no additional cost as part of the model of care.

CHI Franciscan Health is a nonprofit health system based in Tacoma, Washington with a team of nearly 12,000 doctors, nurses and staff that provide expert, compassionate medical care at eight acute care hospitals and more than 100 primary and specialty care clinics in Pierce, King and Kitsap counties. www.chifranciscan.org

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SOURCE CHI Franciscan Health

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http://www.chifranciscan.org