While having babies has been around since human history began, how those babies are born, where, and with what advances and technology are now available is an ever-evolving thing. If you’re currently expecting a baby or are considering starting a family, here are great things to know about what labor and delivery is like in 2026 and what changes are on the horizon for expectant parents.
👶 Better Collaboration with Doulas, Midwives, and Doctors: In many parts of the United States, moms have often felt that they had to choose between midwifery care or physician care when it came to birth. While many European labor and delivery models use midwifery-based care, with doctor care available if a pregnancy or birth has complications, that model has not been the norm in the States, even though Europe has better maternity and infant health outcomes. Thankfully for moms and babies in the U.S., midwifery care with physician support is starting to gain momentum.Why does this matter? First, it gives moms more choice and options when it comes to how they want to experience their labor and delivery. There are also compelling stats that show that midwife-based care reduces the number of c-sections and unneeded interventions. The data shows that utilizing midwifery can reduce maternal and neonatal deaths significantly. 1
Moms who have a midwife available for their labors and deliveries also report a higher satisfaction with their birthing experience. This is especially important as there are fewer OB/GYNs in practice in some areas of the country, and midwifery care helps fill that gap. When there is collaboration and cooperation between midwives and obstetrical practices, cost are lower and safety for mom and baby can be higher, as midwives and doctors partner to provide the best care.
Dr. Anshu Banerjee, Director for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO, says, “Expanding and investing in midwifery models of care is one of the most effective strategies to improve maternal and newborn health globally. These approaches improve outcomes, maximize resources, and can be adapted to all countries.” 2
😘 An Increased Focus on Pregnancy Mental Wellness: Care providers are increasing their focus on helping moms who struggle with mental well-being while either pregnant or following birth. In addition to advanced screening techniques now being used by care providers, there are also digital apps that can help moms track how they’re feeling, which can then help them communicate to their care providers what their experience is.
🤖 AI Has Entered the Chat: While you might not think AI would have a whole lot to do with the human birth experience, there are some ways that AI can help create greater safety and monitoring during the birth process. AI can help keep transcripts and outlines of conversations between care providers and moms, helping chart more consistently and in greater detail what has been discussed, what concerns a mom-to-be has, and what a care provider recommends. AI, thorough monitoring, is also able to pick up on more accurately some conditions before they become emergencies, including pre-eclampsia or potential hemorrhaging. 3
📲 Pelvic Floor Therapy and Better Post-Natal Follow-Up: Many care providers now better understand the necessity of pelvic floor therapy following birth. As more providers are being trained in pelvic floor health and recovery, moms are able to more easily find practitioners in their area who can help them post-birth. Again, in Europe, this has long been the standard, and American moms now are able to receive the help and exercises they need to maximize their recovery from the birth process. Telehealth has now also become part of the pregnancy journey, which can help moms have a combination of in-person and telehealth appointments, reducing the stress of needing to get to a care provider’s office every month if they are low risk, and also helping them have more immediate access to their provider through telehealth portals. This means greater access to care with less stress and cost, a win-win for many expectant moms.
Becoming a mom, getting to celebrate Mother’s Day as a new mom, you deserve great care, your choice of birth providers, help with your mental well-being, and great follow-up after becoming a mom. With today’s new integrations and additions to the pregnancy experience, you have even better options and better care as you bring new life into the world.
If you’re a Member of Altrua HealthShare on certain memberships, you can have your baby with a midwife or a physician of your choosing. You can contact a Member Services Representative for more information on what to expect when you’re expecting. If you’re not yet a Member of Altrua HealthShare, or you have questions about your membership, one of our representatives will be happy to help. You can reach Altrua HealthShare at 1-888-244-3839.
1 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30397-1/fulltext
2 https://www.americordblood.com/articles/the-midwifery-model-in-2026-why-more-hospitals-are-integrating-midwives
3 https://rankings.newsweek.com/americas-best-maternity-hospitals-2026
