For black mothers, birth centers, once a refuge, become a battlefield
Gabrielle Glaze felt chastised and shamed when she gave birth to her first son in a Birmingham, Alabama, hospital, forced to observe strict rules about staying motionless during her contractions and enduring countless cervical checks from "complete strangers" who seemed disappointed by her body's progress.
So when Ms. Glaze , 33, gave birth to a second son at a birthing center in April, surrounded by a team of midwives who said they would let their bodies lead the way, it seemed her previous professional experience had finally been redeemed.
Mrs. Glaze found herself telling every woman she knew about the Oasis Family Birthing Center in Birmingham, which was run by an obstetrician and midwives – many of whom were black, like her – and encouraged patients to follow a natural work process, without haste, without interruption. She said it seemed to be the answer to centuries of childbirth trauma among Black women, providing medical expertise in a culturally familiar space, in hopes of improving both childbirth experiences and health outcomes for women of color.
But Ms. Glaze was one of the last women to give birth at the facility. In June, the Alabama Department of Public Health shut it down, despite its history of smooth, uncomplicated deliveries. State regulators are now weeks away from instituting new birth center licensing rules that would make it nearly impossible for similar facilities to open and operate.
"If these rules are not implemented, there will be fewer guarantees and standards for the operation of these establishments, exposing mothers and their newborns to increased risks to their health and safety", indicates a public draft of the new policy.
Oasis and two other birthing centers seeking to operate sued the state with help from the A.C.L.U., seeking to reverse the closure and clear the way for others. A trial to determine their fate began Thursday. On Saturday, a judge issued a preliminary injunction barring the state from refusing to license birthing centers meeting national standards while the trial takes place.
Gabrielle Glaze felt chastised and shamed when she gave birth to her first son in a Birmingham, Alabama, hospital, forced to observe strict rules about staying motionless during her contractions and enduring countless cervical checks from "complete strangers" who seemed disappointed by her body's progress.
So when Ms. Glaze , 33, gave birth to a second son at a birthing center in April, surrounded by a team of midwives who said they would let their bodies lead the way, it seemed her previous professional experience had finally been redeemed.
Mrs. Glaze found herself telling every woman she knew about the Oasis Family Birthing Center in Birmingham, which was run by an obstetrician and midwives – many of whom were black, like her – and encouraged patients to follow a natural work process, without haste, without interruption. She said it seemed to be the answer to centuries of childbirth trauma among Black women, providing medical expertise in a culturally familiar space, in hopes of improving both childbirth experiences and health outcomes for women of color.
But Ms. Glaze was one of the last women to give birth at the facility. In June, the Alabama Department of Public Health shut it down, despite its history of smooth, uncomplicated deliveries. State regulators are now weeks away from instituting new birth center licensing rules that would make it nearly impossible for similar facilities to open and operate.
"If these rules are not implemented, there will be fewer guarantees and standards for the operation of these establishments, exposing mothers and their newborns to increased risks to their health and safety", indicates a public draft of the new policy.
Oasis and two other birthing centers seeking to operate sued the state with help from the A.C.L.U., seeking to reverse the closure and clear the way for others. A trial to determine their fate began Thursday. On Saturday, a judge issued a preliminary injunction barring the state from refusing to license birthing centers meeting national standards while the trial takes place.
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