Chapter III ter: Birth centres

I. – Birth centres are facilities in which midwives provide : 1° Medical supervision of pregnancy and the aftermath of childbirth as defined in article L. 2122-1 ; 2° Preparation for birth and parenthood, taking into account the overall support needs of future parents; 3° Childbirth and postnatal care for mother and child. Birthing centres provide accommodation for mothers and newborns only during childbirth and for the purposes of post-natal…

Pregnant women presenting a pregnancy with a low risk of complications, in accordance with the criteria defined by the Haute Autorité de Santé’s recommendations for good professional practice drawn up in application of article L. 6323-4-4, may be cared for and give birth in a birthing centre. Women with a multiple pregnancy or a scarred uterus cannot be cared for in a birth centre.

Before registering, the birthing centre provides women wishing to be monitored and to give birth in a birthing centre with full information about how it works and the care it offers. It informs them of the compulsory nature of the pre-anaesthetic consultation organised by the maternity unit of the health establishment partnering the birth centre, in accordance with the procedures defined by the agreement drawn up between the two organisations….