Section 501.48. Birth center policies and procedures

(a) The birth center policies and procedures shall include but not be limited to the following:

(1) A philosophy of care for the birth center.

(2) Standards, policies and procedures for providing safe and appropriate plans of care to meet the needs of each mother, her family, and her newborn infant. These shall be in keeping with current professional standards for uncomplicated pregnancy, intrapartal care, postpartal care, and newborn care and shall include the following:

(i) Written criteria for the admission of only uncomplicated pregnancies into the birth center system of care.

(ii) Written screening, protocol, and health records which identify high risk and potentially high risk individuals, which shall exclude them from birth center care.

(iii) Written protocols for referral of high risk pregnant women and newborns to appropriate providers of obstetrical and newborn care.

(iv) Program to prevent isoimmunization of Rh-negative mothers and neonatal disease due to Rh incompatibilities.

(b) Policies and procedures shall be consistent with the current professional standards of the American College of Nurse Midwives, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and shall be approved by the Director of Midwifery Services and the Physician Director of Medical Affairs. A support person for each mother shall be required.