There are many differences between care at our clinic and that which you would receive in a typical hospital in Mexico. We will highlight just a few of them here. First, you will be cared for by professional midwives in our clinic (with support from medical specialists, when needed). This is an innovative model in Mexico, one we are excited to show you how it improves outcomes for mothers and babies. Second, your prenatal visits are typically one hour in length so that we have plenty of time to answer your questions, provide important education, and do a thorough physical exam. Third, our team is “on call” for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, should any concerns or questions arise. Fourth, when you go into labor, you will be welcomed into the clinic and not put on any “timelines” for when you need to give birth. Midwives are very patient and happy to let the natural process of birth take its course. Fifth, you will labor and give birth in a single “suite” that is equipped with a private bathroom and has plenty of space for our team and for you and the support persons you choose to accompany you in labor. After you give birth, your baby will stay with you at all times, except in cases where we need to transfer a sick baby to the hospital. We do the newborn physical exam and administer any medications to baby all while the baby is on the mother’s chest or lying next to the mother in her bed. Finally, you will receive care that is “evidence-based”, which means that only practices that have been demonstrated by high quality research to be safe and effective are used in our clinic. For example, we do not routinely schedule inductions of labor for being past your due date, cut episiotomies, or recommend a cesarean birth, except in cases where there is a true medical necessity.

Professional midwives are skilled medical providers who have completed a university degree or received technical education and who have completed a maternity residency under supervision. Midwives are trained in the “midwifery model of care” which emphasizes the rights and responsibilities of the birthing mother; the provision on compassionate, humanized care, free from obstetric violence; holistic (physical, psychological, and emotional) care during the childbearing year; evidence-based practices; and the appropriate use of medical interventions. Midwives are experts in “normal” birth, meaning that they care for healthy women having healthy pregnancies. Women who have certain pre-existing health conditions, or who develop high risk conditions during pregnancy, can still receive care from midwives together with physicians, who are experts in higher-risk pregnancies.

We are a non-profit facility, and our services are provided on a sliding scale dependent on the family’s financial status. Our goal is to serve all families who walk through our doors, and our work is supported by generous donations that allow us to offer low-cost or free care to families who would be otherwise unable to pay for services. When you register for care at our facility, our staff will review your family’s financial status and create a payment plan that works for you.

Our clinical staff are well-prepared to address the most common obstetric emergencies, including postpartum hemorrhage, damage to the perineum during birth, and newborn breathing difficulties. That said, in rare cases a mother or baby would be best served in a hospital that can carry out surgeries, such as a cesarean section. We monitor our clients closely during pregnancy and labor so that we can identify most problems that would require transfer early - before an emergency arises. But should a true emergency arise, we have relationships with hospitals in La Huerta and Cihulátan, and we have access to emergency transport services. Our clients’ safety is our highest priority!

We aim to serve the Costalegre region between Puerto Vallerta to the north and Manzanillo to the south, including the numerous inland communities in between these two cities.

It is important that our clients begin care with us as early in pregnancy as possible, and that care is continuous throughout pregnancy. In our initial consultation, we will review your health history, your family history, and any testing that has been completed in the current pregnancy. This is when we evaluate whether it is safe and appropriate to birth in our clinic. This initial visit should be face-to-face, except in rare circumstances. We are open to using a combined in-person and telehealth model after that initial appointment and through about 35 weeks of pregnancy. Out-of-town clients should plan on being in La Manzanilla (or nearby) during the final month of pregnancy so that we can monitor you and your baby closely and prepare for the birth. If you live more than a few hours from La Manzanilla, please reach out to us so we can discuss a plan that works.