What qualifies as a "low-risk" birth?
Is prenatal care included?
How do I know if I qualify for Medicaid?
Do you conduct tours of the facility?
Which providers can deliver at the Birth and Family Place?
What payment plans do you accept?
What insurance plans do you accept?
Do you offer water births?
Why Choose a Birth Center?
What is your safety record?
What do your clients say about the birth center?
What does "licensed" mean?
What does "accredited" mean?
How long will I stay at the birth center?
Can I have guests visit me at the birth center?
Will I get a meal at the birth center?
What qualifies as a "low-risk" birth?
Since Birth and Family Place is for women with normal pregnancies, your past medical history and your present and past pregnancies will determine if the Birth Center is an option for you. Please make an appointment for a free consultation to answer any questions you may have about your risk factors.
Prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum fees are charged by OB Care Providers and are separate from the Birth Center's $2000 facility fee. Prospective clients can choose to receive their prenatal care from someone who already is delivering clients at the birth center (see our list of Credentialed Providers), or talk to their provider about becoming credentialed at Birth and Family Place.
How do I know if I qualify for Medicaid?
Utah's Baby Your Baby program exists to help women get prenatal care as early as possible. Call the Baby Your Baby hotline 1-800-826-9662, or visit their website: www.babyyourbaby.org.
Do you conduct tours of the facility?
Our front desk is open 9-5pm, and you can bring anyone in to do an informal walk through any time. You may want to call first if you are planning a lunch break visit so we can accommodate you.
Which providers can deliver at the Birth and Family Place?
As an open-staff facility, any certified nurse-midwife or physician who would be comfortable in an out-of-hospital setting can be credentialed to deliver babies at Birth and Family Place. It's a wonderful experience for a care provider to offer the choice of a birth center birth and be present when a new family gets started in this safe, home-like environment. Please encourage your provider to come see the birthcenter and take advantage of this great opportunity.
What Payment Plans do you accept?
Medicaid, prepayment & insurance claims
Birth and Family Place is negotiating with all major insurance carriers in the Salt Lake area. Ask your insurance carrier if they have a contract with Birth and Family Place. For the 89-90% of women who have normal births, the birthcenter is a safe, low-cost alternative to hospital stays. Until we are covered by your insurance, we accept cash or check payment in advance to cover the $2000 facility fee.
What insurance plans do you accept?
BlueCross BlueShield
ValueCare
HealthWise
Cigna
Medicaid
Healthy U Medicaid
University of Utah Health Plans
If your insurance company is not listed, you still may have out-of-network benefits that will cover part of the Birth Center costs. We are willing to call your insurance company for you and give you a price quote depending on your benefit plan.
Yes! We Do!
• The birth center has a peaceful and family like atmosphere
• Women are cared for by one provider during their pregnancy and that provider is there for their birth.
• Women are encouraged to drink and eat lightly during their labor
• Women are encouraged to move about freely during labor
• Women choose their own position for birth, including one of our two birthing stools, or one of our jetted Jacuzzi tubs
• Families are supported together after birth, not routinely separated
• Birth is a unique experience at the birth center – directed by the mother
• We keep our admission rates low to maintain our peaceful, home like, atmosphere
Birth and Family Place has been open since May of 2002 and the following statistics are a compilation of all admissions through March 31, 2008.
• 562 women were admitted in labor to the birth center
• 505 of all admitted clients (89.9%) successfully delivered at the birth center
• 57 women (10.1%) were transferred to the hospital during labor
• 18 women (3.2%) had a C-Section after transfer to hospital
• 4 women delivered at the birth center (0.79%) were transferred postpartum
• 7 newborns (1.4%) were transferred to the hospital
• 0% Maternal Mortality Rate
• 1 Fetal death in 1st stage labor (0.18%)
• 0% Neonatal Mortality Rate
• By result of our anonymous client satisfaction surveys, 100% of the patients stated they would refer friends and family to Birth and Family Place
What do your clients say about the Birth Center?
Comments from the anonymous Client Satisfaction Survey:
• When people hear that the birth of my 9 lb. 9 oz. boy was completely natural, they comment that I’m courageous and strong – like I’m somehow different. I give a lot of credit to the competence of my midwife and the comfortable safe atmosphere of the Birth Center. Nearly any woman could have a great experience there. I was nothing special.
• I wish all women knew how fabulous birth can be with the care, concern and confidence I found at the birth center. Thanks for taking the time and attention to care for me and my baby and my family as people (not just patients).
• This birth truly healed me from my previous one. Having natural child birth made me feel so much stronger as a woman, and having a woman midwife that truly cared about my labor, delivery, myself and child was the greatest experience of my life! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
Every business is required to obtain a business license from the city where they are located. In addition to that Birth and Family Place, as a medical facility, is required to have a license from the Utah Department of Health. The terms of this licensure demands that all laws and regulations that govern the birth center are met. Birth and Family Place is subject to proving that these are met by documentation and inspection every two years. Ask to see the “License for Birthing Center” showing The Great Seal of the State of Utah at birthing facilities you visit. If a birth facility does not have this licensure it is not a birthing center and is not regulated.
Accreditation is a process in which the birth center undergoes critical examination to ensure that industry standards are met or exceeded. It begins with self-examination and is followed by an intense inspection by industry professionals. Accreditation is your insurance in knowing that the criteria of a professional birth center is met. Accreditation occurs every three years for birth centers and is conducted by The Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers. You can read more about this process by visiting www.birthcenters.org.
How long will I stay at the birth center?
Birth and Family Place is a licensed as a short-stay facility. This means that licensing regulations require you to be discharged when you and your newborn are stable. Discharge typically occurs about four hours after birth. If you, or your newborn, fail to become stable you will be transferred to the hospital for care. If you are discharged and don’t want to go home we suggest you pamper yourself by going to a hotel and ordering meals in for a day or two. Feedback from clients who have done this are excellent. Some hotels are honored to have a new family as guests and go out of their way to extend courtesy and comforts to you.
Can I have guests visit me at the birth center?
Yes, but we ask that your guests visit within the first two hours and stay briefly. After the first two hours the mother will be encouraged to walk about, visit the restroom, shower, be examined and have discharge teaching. And, the newborn will undergo assessment at this time. Lingering guests don’t know that you need to visit the restroom and won’t notice your discomfort. Prepare them in advance to come as soon as you call, give you their love and support and leave quickly. Or, let them know that you will be home within a few hours of birth and ask them to visit you there.
Will I get a meal at the birth center?
We provide meals for you and your partner while you are at the center. We don’t provide food for children or other family members that may attend your birth. We do not have a full kitchen, nor food handler’s permits, so all food is prepackaged. We obtain high quality frozen meals and compliment them with frozen desserts, rolls, juice, milk, and canned fruits. The meals are very good but not made fresh from scratch. You are welcome to bring your own food, order in, or have family members bring you a meal. We have a selection of menus from many nearby restaurants.