Georgia’s oldest midwifery practice to close their doors in February

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -Georgia’s oldest free-standing midwifery practice is closing its doors at the end of February.

Savannah Birth and Wellness Center will see their last patient Feb. 13. The clinic provides healthcare options for women in the Savannah community, with long-term employees saying the next closest similar clinic is at least a two-hour drive away.

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing like us in close vicinity,” said Kristen Lind, midwife and clinical director.

The closest clinics in Charleston and Jacksonville.

Reimbursement issues cited as cause

Long-term employees say reimbursement issues and many insurances not covering at-home births are to blame for the closure.

“So home birth is often not covered,” Lind said. “And the crazy thing about it is that hospital birth is thousands more than even what we would charge for a self-pay patient here.”

Lind said the clinic tried everything possible to stay open.

“We did everything we possibly could to keep this birth center going,” she said. “Even when that meant being on call for a long hour.”

Personal connections formed

Lind said the clinic became more than a workplace for staff.

“We become a family,” she said. “I had two former patients that were bridesmaids. Like one of our nurses was my maid of honor.”

Heidi Longenberger a nurse manager, also developed deep connections at the birthing center, helping deliver Kristen and Kayla’s children.

Georgia maternal health concerns

The closing furthers issues the country and state face with maternal and infant healthcare.

“Georgia’s maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates are terrible,” said Kayla Barnett, nurse midwife. “And that’s where midwifery care is essential to helping improve those numbers.”

The 2025 March of Dimes report, which shows rates and grades for preterm birth and infant mortality data, failed Georgia, placing the state at 45 out of 52 (including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico).

Lind said she hopes someone will help rebuild the practice.

“If there’s anybody out there that has a heart and has heard our story and is interested in talking to us about what we can do to rebuild from the ground up, we would love nothing more than to be able to do that,” she said.

The birthing center is helping current patients find healthcare options that best fit their needs.

Patient Resources

OB-GYN offices in Savannah

• Memorial Women’s Care will accept late birth transfers, notify you are a birth center patient - 1101 Lexington Avenue, Savannah GA
• St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Network - OBGYN, 5354 Reynolds Street, Suite 315, Savannah GA

Nearby Birth Centers

• Charleston Birthplace, under the same ownership as Savannah Birth Center, accepts commercial insurance plans, Tricare, SC Medicaid - 1300 Hospital Drive, Suite 270, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
• Fruitful Vine Midwifery services and birth center, offers homebirth and birth center birth - 2221 University BLVD West Jacksonville, FL 3221