Midwives call on Georgia to relax tough regulations in new lawsuit

A group of Georgia midwives filed a lawsuit against the state on Thursday, calling for it to loosen stringent regulations governing the industry. 

The plaintiffs argue their services are necessary in large swaths of areas described as maternity care deserts, where obstetric providers or birthing facilities are lacking. Physician agreement requirements and other state regulations have placed an unlawful barrier to residents’ access to healthcare services from midwives, they argued in the lawsuit, according to NBC News.  

“There are some places in the state where there’s nowhere to give birth or access pregnancy care nearby,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, Hillary Schneller, told the outlet. “We have midwives, including our clients, who are ready and willing to fill that gap to serve those families, and the state is treating them like criminals.”

“If you are invested in solving the problem of maternal mortality and infant mortality, it doesn’t