Natural Beginning, a natural birth center that operates in conjunction with OBGYN North, opened Sept. 2, offering patients options for non-induced labor and drug-free birth.

The new facility is located on the third floor of the Medical Oaks Pavilion III building at 12221 Renfert Way, Ste. 330, adjacent to St. David's North Austin Medical Center.

"Natural Beginning will be an extension of our practice, allowing low-risk women the opportunity to birth their babies naturally, in a safe and comfortable setting outside of the hospital, but close enough to allow for a quick transfer to the hospital or Neonatal intensive care unit, in the rare circumstance that transfer is needed or requested," said Dr. Christina Sebestyen, who owns the practice.

The center has three birth rooms, each with a full- or queen-sized bed and SaniJet birthing tub that women can use for a water birth or hydrotherapy for pain management, said Siobhan Kubesh, a certified nurse midwife with OBGYN North. She said women who choose natural birth will have more birthing options at the center.