Prenatal care in US birth centers: Midwives' perceptions of contributors to birthing People's confidence in physiologic birth

Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe US freestanding birth center models of prenatal care and to examine how the components of this care contribute to birthing people's confidence in their ability to have a physiologic birth.

Design

This was a qualitative descriptive study utilizing semi-structured interviews with birth center midwives. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, constant comparative method and consensus coding to ensure rigor.

Setting and Participants

Midwives from six urban and rural freestanding birth centers in a Midwestern US state were interviewed. Twelve birth center midwives participated.

Findings

Six themes emerged: the birth center physical space and organization of care, dimensions of midwifery care within the birth center, continuity of care and seamless service, the empowered birthing person, physiologic birth as normative, and the hospital paradigm and US cultures of birth.

Key Conclusions

We identified significant components of birth center models of prenatal care that midwives believe enhance birthing people's confidence for physiologic childbirth. These components may be considered for application to other settings and may improve perinatal care and outcomes.