The Rising Demand for Birth Centers in the U.S.

Have you noticed an uptick in home births and birth center births across the U.S.? Over the past decade, more expectant parents have been exploring alternatives to traditional hospital births, seeking options that align with their personal birth preferences and healthcare values. This shift reflects a broader trend toward personalized, low-intervention maternity care that prioritizes comfort, autonomy, and holistic support.

Birth centers have emerged as a popular choice for families who want a balance between the safety of medical oversight and the freedom of a natural birth experience.

Cincinnati Birth Center

Factors Driving an Increased Demand for Birth Centers

Several factors are contributing to this rising demand:

Maternity Care Deserts: Over a third of U.S. counties lack medical birthing facilities or obstetric care, affecting more than 2.3 million women of reproductive age. This shortage has led many to seek alternatives like birth centers to ensure access to quality maternity care [2].

Personalized Care: Birth centers are known for providing individualized care, creating a supportive environment that respects the preferences and needs of those giving birth.​

Cost-Effectiveness: With the rising costs associated with hospital births, many families find birth centers to be a more affordable option without compromising on the quality of care.

Birth Center Growth Stats in the U.S.

• As of January 2022, there were approximately 400 birth centers operating across 40 states and the District of Columbia. This marks a substantial increase, more than doubling the number from a decade prior. Between 2011 and 2021, the annual number of births occurring in these centers grew by 65% [1].

  
  

• Between 2011 and 2021, the number of births taking place in birth centers surged by 65%, highlighting sustained interest in this care model. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend as many expectant parents sought alternatives to hospital settings due to concerns about exposure to illness and restrictive hospital policies during labor and delivery.

  
  

• Despite the overall decline in the U.S. fertility rate, which reached a historic low with 3,591,328 births recorded in 2023—a 2% decrease from the previous year [3]—the proportion of births taking place in birth centers has continued to rise. This trend suggests that even as fewer babies are being born overall, more parents are choosing birth centers for delivery.

  
  

• Furthermore, a survey by the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) found that: “98.8 percent of clients using the birth center would recommend it to friends and/or return to the center for a subsequent birth [4].”

The increasing demand for birth centers in the U.S. reflects a shift in how families view maternity care. As more parents seek personalized, cost-effective, and low-intervention birth experiences, birth centers are becoming an integral part of the modern maternity care landscape. Addressing regulatory and insurance barriers will be crucial in ensuring that more families have access to this valuable birthing option in the years to come.