Quincy Medical Group plans to offer birth center at Quincy Town Center

QUINCY — Quincy Medical Group announced plans Monday for a birth center at the Quincy Town Center, 3301 Broadway.

If the project is approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, QMG’s birth center will be the first of its kind in west-central Illinois and the fifth in Illinois.

The birth center will offer a safe, cost-effective alternative to the traditional hospital birthing experience, according to a press release.

“Every pregnancy is unique, and a woman’s birth experience should be too,” said Dr. Jean Alexandre, a QMG board member and medical director of the birth center. “The birth center is an incredible option for women with a low-risk pregnancy who want to have a natural birthing experience. It’s important to provide options so every birth plan can be offered in our community. The birth center is also an affordable alternative to hospital delivery.”

The proposed facility will have three birthing rooms. It will offer a family-centered environment, including a designated space for prenatal visits and antepartum testing.

“The birth center will offer an atmosphere where families stay together during and after delivery in a home-like environment, so women and their families feel comfortable throughout their delivery experience,” Alexandre said.

Women who deliver at a birth center often experience shorter recovery times because fewer medications and medical interventions are involved, leading to lower cost of care for patients. Tubs for water births and areas for mothers to walk and rest during labor will be available. Mothers will feel like they’re at home while supported by a care team skilled in natural delivery.

QMG’s team of board-certified obstetricians and midwives will support mothers in developing birth experiences that honor their wishes and evaluate if a birth at the birth center is the best medical option for a safe delivery.