With the help of midwives, women will be able to give birth in Natural Birth Centers without the need for an epidural or other type of anesthesia.
The Ministry of Public Health made a decision regarding the activity of Natural Birth Centers to be established in state and private structures. The decision not only enacts the law but also clarifies the terms.
Natural Birth Centers will be able to receive pregnant women upon application and their condition will be assessed by the midwife team and obstetrician-gynecologist. They will work in public and private hospitals, provided that they are Obstetrics-Gynecology department or Obstetric surgery department, respectively.
Private institutions will be able to create independent Centers under certain conditions.
The main provisions of the decision of the Ministers
1. Within the framework of the professional rights of the graduates of the School’s Obstetrics department, in the Maternity Centers, integrated prenatal and perinatal care services are provided to healthy pregnant women, low and possible risk categories, pregnant women, pregnant women, as well as newborn children. Health and Wellness Professions.
2. Natural (uninterrupted) childbirth services can be provided on the one hand within the building complexes of the hospitals of the National Health System (HSY) and the Thessaloniki General Hospital “Papageorgiou” (Public Centers for Natural Birth). On the condition of having a Maternity Department, on the other hand, private clinics (Private Natural Birth Centers) have an Obstetrics and Gynecology department.
3. In addition, non-interventional birth services can also be provided by private institutions (Independent Natural Birth Centers), such as Primary Health Care Organizations, which are supervised by the regional authority Region and attached to public hospitals or private clinics.
Midwifery center role
- Natural Birth Centers are organized and operate on the basis of “”.Midwifery Care Model“. A Midwife or Midwife is the primary health care provider responsible for planning, organizing and providing prenatal information to a pregnant woman, based on current knowledge and international standards on natural (uninterrupted) birth issues.
- Practices that are appropriate in centers uncomplicated deliveryincluding episiotomy and perineal suture techniques, while percentages are not given any epidural or other type of anesthesia.
- The number of women in active labor admitted to the delivery room at any one time cannot exceed the number of delivery rooms in the Center.
- Public and Private Centers have all the medical specialties provided in a hospital or Private Clinic when a mother and/or newborn baby needs medical help during pregnancy or delivery complications.
- In Independent Centers, in cases where it is considered necessary or at the request of the woman Immediate transfer to the medical institution affiliated to the center is carried out; for carrying out all necessary examinations, treatments and medical procedures in general.
- Postpartum care for the mother and newborn after discharge from the center can be integrated into the program.”House midwife“, Article 39 of Law 4999/2022. Article 3
How pregnant women will be accepted for admission and stay
Women are accepted for admission to the Natural Birth Center after their appropriate application and assessment of their physical and physical condition by the delivery team and obstetrician-gynecologist. Depending on the results of the assessment, divided into risk categories: low, probable and highAccording to the assessment criteria of Appendix 1.
– In low risk category pregnant women fall where the Natural Birth Center is indicated and a safe choice for their care.
– In potential risk category include pregnant women deemed necessary for assessment prior to admission to a natural birth center.
– In high risk category includes pregnant women whose admission or stay at the Natural Birth Center is contraindicated for health reasons and whose birth should be performed in the delivery room of an organized hospital or clinic.
In principle, healthy pregnant women of low and possible risk can be admitted to natural birth centers. These symptoms should be present both during pregnancy, childbirth, and during cesarean section.
If the risk category of the pregnant/participant/carrier or neonate changes at any time, the event should be recorded and a transfer protocol activated.