Overdue for Midwives

Highlights from Legislative Briefing on the Out-of-Hospital Birth Access and Safety Act, April 9, 2021

Nashira Baril, MPH, Neighborhood Birth Center

Nashira Baril, MPH and director of the Neighborhood Birth Center, a project to bring the first freestanding, midwife-led birthing center to Boston speaks about the opportunity we have to expand access to midwives and remove the structural inequities that have restricted access to midwifery in Massachusetts.

Gloria Agosto

Student midwife Gloria Agosto shares the need for culturally congruent midwifery care and equitable access to out-of-hospital birthing options.

Erin

Erin, home birth mom, speaks about her positive home birth experience in Massachusetts.

Professor Eugene Declercq

Boston University School of Public Health Professor Eugene Declercq shares the data on home birth.

Rebecca Herman, MPH, CPM

Certified Professional Midwife Rebecca Herman shares the experience of practicing in Massachusetts and how the pandemic has impacted midwives.

Tiffany Vassell, RN

Tiffany Vassell is a labor and delivery nurse, nurse-midwifery student, and Black maternal health advocate in Boston. Here she speaks about the right to respectful maternity care and expanding access to midwives and out-of-hospital birth in Massachusetts.

Dr. Alexandra Spadola, Director of Labor and Delivery at Tufts Medical Center

Dr. Spadola shares why we need integration between home and hospital maternity care providers.

Representative Kay Khan and Senator Becca Rausch

Massachusetts State Representative Kay Khan and Senator Becca Rausch share why they have championed midwifery policy and sponsored the Out-of-Hospital Birth Access and Safety Act.