Local midwives are seeing an increase in expecting mothers due to COVID-19
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Due to COVID-19, midwives are seeing an increase in expecting mothers looking for other options to deliver outside of a hospital.
Rogue Birth Center LLC tells News 10, they are at full capacity and booked out months in advance.
"We are seeing a ton of frantic women calling every single day begging and pleading," said Willa Woodard Ervin, Owner/Director and Midwife of Rogue Birth Center LLC.
Woodard Ervin says most expecting mothers calling are women due "in like three days or a week."
"They're panicked and frantic and they're begging, and pleading, they do not want to be in hospitals, they're low risk, there's nothing wrong with them but they're so late in transferring OHP will not cover their care and so we're having to turn a lot of them away," said Woodard Ervin.
According to Woodard Ervin, Oregon Health Plan (OHP) typically requires mothers to already be in care by 28 weeks but they have moved it up to 34 weeks.
Woodard Ervin says because of the time frame, many mothers have unfortunately been turned away and offered other options such as home births. Due to COVID-19, their protocol has also changed.
"Our protocol has changed quite a bit, usually our house is packed with people," she said. "The momma, poppa, and one support person and no children are allowed in the facility right now since they're the silent carriers," she said.
If you are an expecting mother and would like to explore different options, it is advised you call ahead of time.
"We're booked out until October already and November month too, our numbers have increased a lot. We are definitely at full capacity and trying to pass moms on to homebirth midwives," she said.
