How do women who have given birth in both a hospital and a homebirth setting perceive their experiences giving birth? In a February 2023 study published in the journal, Women and Birth, three Irish researchers sought to answer this question. The study, “‘It could not have been more different.’ Comparing experiences of hospital-based birth and…

We tend to think of pregnancy as lasting for 9 months. But ideally, it should last for nearly 10 months. Research shows that babies are born healthier if they have at least 39 weeks to grow in the womb. In recent years, there’s been a trend toward earlier deliveries, as more women are choosing the…

A birth center to be staffed by midwives is suing Georgia in federal court for unconstitutionally denying it permission to operate after three local hospitals expressed opposition to it. At present, there are only three non-hospital birth centers in Georgia, a state with more than 120,000 human births annually, but none are within a 130-mile radius of Augusta,…

Childbirth can bring a world of surprises, but there’s one shock an Orange County congresswoman wants to help parents avoid: unexpected medical bills. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) reintroduced the bipartisan No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act. The legislation is intended to simplify the process of getting medical coverage…