Impact

The Juneau Family Health and Birth Center was founded to provide prenatal, birth, and postpartum care to families throughout Southeast Alaska using a midwifery care model. Midwifery care has been proven to have better outcomes in comparison to traditional medical care with lower rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and cesarean birth. Women with continuous midwifery care are less likely to receive an epidural, episiotomy, and more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth. In a follow up review done in 2016 where it was found that women receiving midwifery led care were 24% less likely to experience preterm birth, and 16% less likely to lose their baby during pregnancy as well as reflecting the original findings for decreased risk of intervention in labor and increased likelihood of having a vaginal birth. 

In addition to the decreased risk of intervention and complications, we are also committed to keeping the costs of pregnancy care down. Through education and support, families are able to make healthier lifestyle choices and decrease their need for hospitalization and expensive medical treatments.