
The Alabama Supreme Court could soon hear a case to determine the future of birthing centers in the state.
In 2023, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) proposed setting strict requirements on the state's birthing centers. By regulating them as hospitals, the rule would require these centers to have a physician or consultant physician on staff, as well as a registered nurse and board-certified midwife. Birthing centers would also have to be within a 30-minute drive of a hospital.