Doctors in Florida Now Allowed to Perform C-Sections Outside Hospitals

Newswise — Florida is now the first state that will allow doctors to perform c-sections outside of hospitals. The law which was passed this spring says advanced birth centers can perform low-risk cesarean deliveries. The law does not define what constitutes a low-risk c-section delivery. 

Some of the qualifications for the birth centers include, staffing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, employing two medical directors, one obstetrician and one anesthesiologist and must have at least one surgical suite. 

According to the CDC, 36 percent of births in 2021 in the state of Florida were c-section deliveries.

Faculty experts at the George Washington University are available to offer insight, analysis and commentary regarding this topic. To schedule an interview with an expert, please contact Katelyn Deckelbaum at [email protected].

Julia Strasser, is the executive director of the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health and an assistant research professor of health policy and management at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is an expert on reproductive health care and access to essential care including abortion. 

Amita N. Vyas, is an associate professor at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health and Director for the MPH Maternal and Child Health program and the Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health. 

Nancy Gaba is professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Linda Cassar, clinical associate professor at the GW School of Nursing, has worked primarily with the maternal/child health patient population over her 30 years as a nurse, working in labor and delivery, mother/baby, high-risk antepartum, and outpatient community perinatal education.