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TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The Save Burdett Birth Center Coalition joining together outside the Burdett Birth Center with the community for a “love picnic”. Advocates coming together to show some support to the center run by Saint Peter’s Health Partners set to close in the future.
One mother coming to the event to share her story with the center. “I had my son, Ben, here five months ago. It was a really great experience. We are working really hard to ensure that the Burdett Birth Center stays open. We know that folks will be sent to Albany Med. Which will be across the river. That’s if they have beds at all for these folks,” described Ashley Saupp.
Doulas like Esther Patterson help make the birthing experience as smooth as possible outside of a hospital setting. “Midwives and doulas are loving and saving lives here. They’re doing it right. They have low surgical birth numbers, really low surgical birth numbers,” stated Patterson.
Saint Peter’s plans to close the center because they say they are operating at a loss. Patterson has an explanation as to why this happened. “A good birth center will never make money because what makes money are the interventions. What makes money are surgical births.”
A spokesperson for St. Peter’s Health Partners responding to the event with the following statement:
“Like the community members gathering today, SPHP is proud of the compassionate, high-quality care all our colleagues provide each and every day. We would like to reiterate that there will be no impact to prenatal or postnatal OB/GYN or midwifery access in Rensselaer County. Samaritan OB/GYN and Capital Region Midwifery continue to provide their unique services to patients. SPHP colleagues at those practices, including doctors, midwives, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and support staff, are a vital community resource, and they remain committed to providing patients the same services that are offered today well into the future.”
Regardless of the outcome, the coalition will continue to advocate for Burdett. “I’ve been a doula for over twenty years. We’re important. We support women. We can’t even fathom the idea that Burdett will not be here,” said Patterson.
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