Women’s Health Connecticut Partners with Free-Standing Birth Center to Add to its Services
ROCKY HILL, CT/JUNE 2, 2025 –Women’s Health Connecticut (WHC), the state’s premier women’s health specialty group proudly announces the addition of Connecticut’s first licensed, free-standing birthing center to its list of options for women. The Center already has an admirable legacy as a choice for women seeking an alternative to a hospital or home birth.
Women’s Health Connecticut is the perfect partner to broaden the outreach of the unique facility. It connects the talented staff of midwives with the resources provided by Women’s Health Connecticut’s well-respected network, furthering the goal of safe, satisfying care for women who choose a birthing center path.
In Connecticut, the trend towards home births has increased, reflecting a growing preference for alternative birthing options. In 2020 there were 271 home births, up from 217 in 2019, and across the country the upward trend is no different with home births rising by 12%. In 2023, Connecticut passed legislation to license free-standing birth centers, to provide more high-quality maternal health options for low-risk pregnancies with more personalized delivery options.
“We listened and heard women and their desire to have more birthing choices,” said Paula Greenberg, president and CEO of Women’s Health Connecticut. “As a result, we took the opportunity provided to us by the new streamlined regulations from the State of Connecticut and obtained a birthing center license to continue the operations of a 30-year-old birth center. We will continue its well-respected legacy and look forward to offering a birthing center experience to our patients.”
Women’s Health Connecticut is leasing the former space of Connecticut Childbirth and Women’s Center and will continue to operate the birth center under the same name. The former center saw an average of 150 births a year and houses Danbury Midwifery Group who provides well women, pre and post-natal care in a homelike environment. Greenberg added, “The birth center care is more personalized, and focused on providing women choices in their births, including water births, ultimately making it a more intimate and individualized experience.”
“The women who seek out our birth center want more choices and a low intervention birthing experience, while still getting quality care. We see women from across the state of Connecticut and beyond who want to be part of the process of creating their own personalized, birth plan in a safe, loving and caring environment. That’s the hallmark of midwifery, knowing what’s important to women and their families,” said Cathy Parisi, midwife director of the Center. “Women’s Health Connecticut’s support for the midwives and the birth center will help increase the number of patients we see and allow us to be at the forefront of licensed, free-standing birth centers in the state.”
Parisi added that in addition to delivering in the Center, the midwives have privileges at Danbury Hospital, located across the street, and can attend births there as the primary provider to assure a seamless transition of care if needed. The certified nurse midwives also offer continuity of care with full scope ObGyn care, including postpartum care, family planning, contraception, and annual well woman and gynecological care.
“We believe in the birthing center concept and recognize expansion of these services is a worthwhile endeavor. It reflects our values and will help Women’s Health Connecticut continue to thrive in delivering high-quality care for women,” added Greenberg. “We would like to give recognition to the State of Connecticut for allowing us to hold another license level that afforded this unique opportunity so that we can build upon in other communities, if the need arises.”
About Women’s Health Connecticut
Founded in 1997, Physicians for Women’s Health (d/b/a Women’s Health Connecticut) is currently one of the most respected women’s health practices in the nation, with more than 300 highly-trained and devoted healthcare providers. By focusing solely on women’s health, Women’s Health Connecticut provides unsurpassed expertise and devotion to addressing the changing needs of women across Connecticut, and more recently into Massachusetts. Its commitment and united voice for women has been influential in the women’s health sector for more than two decades. For more information or to find a provider visit www.womenshealthct.com.
Media Contact:
Tami Santucci
tami.santucci@unifiedhc.com
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