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Maternity Information

Hospitals (and birth centers) must provide prospective maternity patients (at the time of prebooking) and the general public, upon request, with written information that includes statistics specific to each hospital’s maternity-related procedures and practices, insurance coverage, and postpartum events.

This written information can help you to better understand what you can expect, learn more about your childbirth choices, plan for your baby’s birth and prepare for postpartum recovery. It will also direct you to appropriate sources to obtain further information.

• Hospital-specific statistics will give you the percentages regarding deliveries and use of special procedures during births occurring at your hospital of choice. You will also be informed of the hospital’s special practices, including the availability of birthing rooms or rooming in. This information is important to the planning of your childbirth experience.
• Inpatient insurance coverage in New York State is provided for a mother and her newborn for at least 48 hours after childbirth for vaginal delivery and at least 96 hours after a caesarean section. In addition, each hospital must provide patient education, assistance and training in breast or bottlefeeding and any necessary maternal or newborn clinical assessments. Check with your insurance company for more details on your maternity coverage.
• Postpartum depression or baby blues may occur after giving birth. Your body has undergone physical and hormonal changes, which may leave you with feelings of sadness, mood swings, anger, anxiety and low self-esteem, for days or weeks following birth. The baby blues are very common and will pass in time. Your doctor can suggest some ways to help you feel better. Less common is postpartum depression (PPD). The symptoms are severe and can include feelings of hopelessness, high anxiety, eating problems, feeling "out of control," and thoughts of harming yourself or the baby. Contact your doctor regarding these symptoms, as PPD is treatable. Your doctor must be contacted immediately if you feel as though you may hurt yourself or your baby.
• Shaken baby syndrome refers to the injuries that result from the violent shaking of an infant or child. New parents need to be aware of the danger of shaking their infant or small child. Often, a frustrated caregiver loses control and shakes an infant in an attempt to stop the baby from crying. Usually, there is no intent to harm the child, just to have the baby stop crying. The stress of caring for a newborn can place any caregiver, including parents, at risk for shaking a baby. For more information about shaken baby syndrome, visit the Department of Health website at http://www.health.state.ny.us.

Hospitals must also (1) assure that prenatal childbirth education classes are available for all prebooked women; (2) distribute newborn screening educational literature; (3) provide all prebooked women with a written description of available options for labor, delivery and postpartum services. Public Health Law 2803-j Maternity patients information leaflet 10NYCRR, 405.21 (c), 405.21 (c) (8)