Maternity services in East Lancashire have changed following the opening of three new birth centres in Blackburn, Burnley and Rawtenstall.
The midwife-led Blackburn birth centre opened on Park Lee Road in September, followed by the launch of a new consultant-led unit at the Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre in the grounds of Burnley General Hospital last month. A further midwife-led birth centre opened within Rossendale Primary Health Centre in Rawtenstall in early December.
It means pregnant women throughout East Lancashire can now choose to have their baby at their local midwife-led birth centre, at home, or in the consultant-led maternity unit in Burnley. Women whose medical histories suggest their birth is likely to be complex will be advised to have their children at the consultant-led unit.
All the new services have been designed in partnership with East Lancashire families, to make them as safe, comfortable and convenient as possible.
Midwives will work closely with pregnant women to fully assess their health and fitness and explain the different services available, to ensure they are making fully-informed choices.
