Midwifery Care Associates (MCA) was created in May 2007 as a way to continue midwifery services to the women of our community after the closure of several area midwife practices. The midwives at MCA were formerly employed by the Maternity Center, which was an independent midwifery practice offering births in a free-standing birth center (in Bethesda) as well as at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital (in Rockville). The Maternity Center closed at the end of May 2007 due to financial reasons related to the expense involved in maintaining a free-standing birth center. The midwives of MCA decided to join the OB-GYN practice of Simmonds and Simmonds, Chartered, in order to keep midwifery care as an option for women in our community. We continue to provide office hours 5 days per week, as well as 24/7 call coverage for our clients.
While we are saddened by the closure of the birth center, we will do our best to provide a "birth center" atmosphere for our clients in the hospital setting. Shady Grove Adventist Hospital opened a new postpartum wing in the fall of 2007 which features private postpartum rooms and other amenites supporting family-centered care. |
