Client Experience with the Ontario Birth Center Demonstration Project.

INTRODUCTION: In 2014, 2 new freestanding midwifery-led birth centers opened in Ontario, Canada. As one part of a larger mixed-methods evaluation of the first year of operations of the centers, our primary objective was to compare the experiences of women receiving midwifery care who intended to give birth at the new birth centers with those intending to give birth at home or in hospital. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of women cared for by midwives with admitting privileges at one of the 2 birth centers. Consenting women received the survey 3 to 6 weeks after their due date. We stratified the analysis by intended place of birth at the beginning of labor, regardless of where the actual birth occurred. One composite indicator was created (Composite Satisfaction Score, out of 20), and statistical significance (P < .05) was assessed using one-way analysis of variance. Responses to the open-ended questions were reviewed and grouped into broader categories. RESULTS: In total, 382 women completed the survey (response rate 54.6%). Half intended to give birth at a birth center (n = 191). There was a significant difference on the Composite Satisfaction Scores between the birth center (19.4), home (19.5), and hospital (18.9) groups (P < .001). Among women who intended to give birth in a birth center, scores were higher in the women admitted to the birth center compared with those who were not (P = .037). Overall, women giving birth at a birth center were satisfied with the learners present at their birth, the accessibility of the centers, and the physical amenities, and they had suggestions for minor improvements. DISCUSSION: We found positive experiences and high satisfaction among women receiving midwifery care, regardless of intended place of birth. Women admitted to the birth centers had positive experiences with these new centers; however, future research should be planned to reassess and further understand women's experiences.

Outcomes for the First Year of Ontario's Birth Center Demonstration Project.

INTRODUCTION: In 2014, Ontario opened 2 stand-alone midwifery-led birth centers. Using mixed methods, we evaluated the first year of operations for quality and safety, client experience, and integration into the maternity care community. This article reports on our study of safety and quality of care. METHODS: This descriptive evaluation focused on women admitted to a birth center at the beginning of labor. For context, we matched this cohort (on a 1:4 basis) with similar low-risk midwifery clients giving birth in a hospital. Data sources included Ontario's Better Outcomes Registry and Network (BORN) Information System, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Ontario census data, and birth center records. RESULTS: Of 495 women admitted to a birth center, 87.9% experienced a spontaneous vaginal birth, regardless of the eventual location of birth, and 7.7% had a cesarean birth. The transport rate to a hospital was 26.3%. When compared with midwifery clients with a planned hospital birth, rates of intervention (epidural analgesia, labor augmentation, assisted vaginal birth, and cesarean birth) were significantly lower in the planned birth center group, even when controlled for previous cesarean birth and body mass index. Markers of potential morbidity were identified in about 10% of birth center births; however, there were no short-term health impacts up to discharge from midwifery care at 6 weeks postpartum. Care was low in intervention and safe (minimal negative outcomes and transport rates comparable to the literature). DISCUSSION: In the first year of operation, care was consistent with national guidelines, and morbidity and mortality rates and intervention rates were low for women with low-risk pregnancies seeking a low-intervention approach for labor and birth. Further evaluation to confirm these findings is required as the number of births grows.

The Integration of Ontario Birth Centers into Existing Maternal-Newborn Services: Health Care Provider Experiences.

INTRODUCTION: In 2014, 2 freestanding, midwifery-led birth centers opened in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate the integration of the birth centers into the local, preexisting intrapartum systems from the perspective of health care providers and managerial staff. METHODS: Focus groups or interviews were conducted with health care providers (paramedics, midwives, nurses, physicians) and managerial staff who had experienced urgent and/or nonurgent maternal or newborn transports from a birth center to one of 4 hospitals in Ottawa or Toronto. A descriptive qualitative approach to data analysis was undertaken. RESULTS: Twenty-four health care providers and managerial staff participated in a focus group or interview. Participants described positive experiences transporting women and/or newborns from the birth centers to hospitals; these positive experiences were attributed to the collaborative planning, training, and communication that occurred prior to opening the birth centers. The degree of integration was dependent on hospital-specific characteristics such as history, culture, and the presence or absence of midwifery privileging. Participants described the need for only minor improvements to administrative processes as well as the challenge of keeping large numbers of staff updated with respect to urgent transport policies. Planning and opening of the birth centers was seen as a driving force in further integrating midwifery care and improving interprofessional practice. DISCUSSION: The collaborative approach for the planning and implementation of the birth centers was a key factor in the successful integration into the existing maternal-newborn system and contributed to improving integrated professional practice among midwives, paramedics, nurses, and physicians. This approach may be used as a template for the integration of other new independent health care facilities and programs into the existing health care system.