View in browser   |   Forward

The vast majority of births in Maine – roughly 97 percent – occur in hospitals. But like the rest of the country, the number of home births has risen in the state in recent years, jumping 41 percent between 2018 and 2023.

This week we're bringing you the second story in our series on maternity care in Maine, focused on where midwives in Maine fit into the birthing landscape.

As hospitals shut around the state shut their labor and delivery units and those that remain struggle with staffing, some pregnant people are choosing to give birth at home with a midwife to avoid long drives, planned inductions or because they worry their wishes would not be respected in a hospital setting.

If you missed the first story you can check it out here; if you're interested in maternity care, check out this recent episode of Maine Calling focused on the subject, where I was a guest this week along with some of the experts Emily and I have interviewed for the series.

This week we're also bringing you fascinating stories about a proposition for a new school for teens struggling with addiction in Aroostook County, a look into the state's ambitious climate preparedness bill, currently under consideration by the legislature, and a look at a push to increase access to doula care in Maine, which advocates say could improve maternal health outcomes.

Thanks for reading and have a great week,

Kate

As birthing units close, where do midwives fit in?

As hospitals close their birthing units, independent midwives say they are also becoming reluctant to provide care in areas without a safety net.

Read this story by Emily Hedegard and Kate Cough

Town officials and homeowners rally in support of bipartisan climate preparedness bill: The bill would create three new initiatives, largely in response to the recommendations of a state climate resilience commission. Read this story by Emmett Gartner

Legislature considers push for MaineCare to cover doula services: Advocates say increasing access to doulas could help improve health outcomes in the state. Read this story by Rose Lundy

Educators propose new school for teens struggling with addiction in Aroostook County: Spurred by a teacher who has seen the issues wrought by substance use among local teens, the proposal hinges on getting funding from the state’s pool of opioid settlement money. Read this story by Emily Bader

  [insert preview]. Read this story by Emily Bade

Hooked on heating oil: Maine’s reliance on a dirty, expensive fuel

(Published in 2023)

Maine relies on home heating oil more than any other state. Ending that costly dependence could improve lives and fight climate change, but it won’t be easy.

Read this story by Annie Ropeik

Have feedback or a correction to send to Kate Cough? Send it to her directly via email: kate@themainemonitor.org. 

Know of a story that we should be digging into? Send it to our newsroom. 

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.

Manage email preferences