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Date: 6/13/2023
State Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), spoke in favor of a bill she helped file during the June 7 Joint Committee of Public Health.
The legislation, “An Act updating the regulations governing licensed birth centers in Massachusetts” (S.1335 and H. 3616), was filed by Comerford and state Reps. Manny Cruz (D-Salem) and Chynah Tyler (D-Boston), and directs the Department of Public Health to expand access to birth options and promulgate updated regulations consistent with the licensed practice of midwives and physicians.
According to information provided by Comerford’s office, there are 400 birth centers across the United States, which help in providing midwifery care for low-risk pregnancies, but recent closures of hospital-affiliated birth centers in Massachusetts have reduced the already limited access to this birthing option.
Currently, Massachusetts only has one birthing center open in the state even though it is a proven model for improving birth outcomes while reducing healthcare costs, according to reports from the Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health and the Health Policy Commission. Comparatively, Texas has 92 birthing centers.
“Seven Sisters Midwifery [in Northampton] is the only freestanding birth center in the commonwealth, I hope not for long,” Comerford said during her testimony. “I have seen [Seven Sisters] work on racial-maternal health equity, and it is moving and important and they have a role to play in this committee in our legislature’s work on birthing justice.”
According to Cruz, the bill would allow birthing centers to have more autonomy when providing care for patients and developing plans, policies and procedures. He talked about his own wife’s experience when she had a baby and how valuable the North Shore birthing center was to her pregnancy plans.
“I can personally attest to the value of birthing centers and midwifery care,” Cruz said. “It was an incredible experience that I know many other families also shared.”
Cruz said he and many of his constituents were disappointed when the North Shore center — which was affiliated with Beverly Hospital — closed after the Beverly Hospital decided to move on from the birthing center.
He said a lot of people expressed their support for the center when it was going through that difficult process. “I heard from my constituents who shared similar positive experiences, from lifesaving interventions, about belonging, empowerment, and the exceptional care provided by midwives,” Cruz said. “I hope you join us in scaling up access to birthing centers in our commonwealth.”
Seven Sisters, which is located at 74 Maple St. in Florence, recently received $150,000 for an innovative doula training program from the state’s fiscal year 2023 budget.
“Doulas play a critical role in achieving maternal health equity,” Comerford said in a statement to Reminder Publishing. “With this funding, Seven Sisters Midwifery & Community Birth Center will be able to expand their already working curriculum to offer doulas in-training hands-on birth experience. As part of the training, these doulas will work with families from diverse backgrounds, bolstering their ability to serve all birthing people in an equitable way.”