Seton Healthcare now offers women a more natural childbirth experience through a partnership with Austin Area Birthing Center that allows for a midwife-attended delivery, providing reduced medical intervention such as pain medication and surgery.
Seton announced its partnership with Austin ABC on Jan. 22 but has been offering the services since mid-December.
The natural childbirth services are available at Seton's Medical Center Austin hospital, located at 1201 W. 38th St. Under the new partnership, an Austin ABC advanced practice nurse midwife may admit patients to Seton's medical center for low-intervention childbirth. That means a doctor is available to assist the midwife when needed, according to Seton officials.
Seton's Network Perinatal Director Trina Jellison said the services could become available at other Seton hospitals in the future. The partnership with Austin ABC was spawned in part because of a gap analysis conducted by Seton, which revealed that many women in Austin want natural childbirth without medication or surgery, she said.
