Neighborhood Birth Center on the TEDx stage!

Why Does Boston Need a birth center?

Massachusetts ranks 32nd in the country on midwifery integration and lags significantly behind other states in access to community birth centers. Of the 400 birth centers in the US, there is 1 in Massachusetts. Right now, 99% of births in MA happen in the hospital, even though most could happen safely outside the hospital with midwives. Not to mention that a shift of just 10% of births from hospitals to birth centers would save $1.9 billion annually. Out-of-hospital options in eastern MA are limited unless people can afford the several thousand dollar price tag and have the space and support for homebirth. Neighborhood Birth Center will create a third option for pregnant people to receive care and give birth in a safe, sanctuary-like space, with highly trained midwives, whose care is covered by insurance. The presence of a birth center in Boston will improve outcomes and experiences and advance racial equity in birth and other health measures.

Birth center care results in:

• Fewer infant emergency department visits and hospitalizations

• Lower rates of c-section

• Higher rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery

• Lower rates of preterm birth

• Lower rates of babies born low birth weight

• Higher rates of initiated and sustained breast/chestfeeding

Our Vision

Our vision is that birth experiences and outcomes improve for all through the integration of a community birth center in Boston. We believe that people living in and around Boston should have access to a full range of pregnancy care and birthing options. Our mission is to offer comprehensive full scope midwifery care rooted in reproductive justice. Birth is a sacred process, and when the pregnant person is centered, the experience has the power to transform and heal individuals, families, and communities.

Our work is guided by the belief that the world we want to live in – from a healthy family to a healthy planet – requires the reimagination of healthcare and the equitable redistribution of capital. To birth a just and bright future, and change course on maternal health, birth centers, especially those led by people of color, must be invested in at scale. Neighborhood Birth Center is about building power to redesign healthcare in ways that improve experiences and outcomes for all. 

With only one other birth center in the state of MA, there is a need for community birth infrastructure. After our zoning setback in Feb 2025, we are grieving, regrouping, and strategizing to find a sustainable way to move ahead with the vision.

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Thanks to our Supporting Partners!