SB 1384

Abstract

Childbirth; postpartum process. Requires health care facilities providing services related to labor and childbirth to develop policies to (i) allow every birthing person to have a companion or doula with the person during birth in addition to a partner or spouse; (ii) at the discretion of the treating physician, allow every birthing person to have a companion or doula with the person during birth when a partner or spouse is not permitted to be present; (iii) prioritize newborns bonding with their families in order to facilitate the postpartum process; (iv) prohibit excluding from care any person giving birth or prohibit interrupting the process of birth without the informed consent of the birthing person; (v) detail the facility's process related to receiving a pregnant person's patient information from any provider who has provided care for the pregnant person; (vi) establish processes to transfer and receive pregnant persons across levels of care of licensed facilities within the facility's capacity and capability; and (vii) establish a process to receive individuals who are pregnant, giving birth, or in the postpartum process from locations other than licensed facilities.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1 a section numbered 32.1-137.011, relating to childbirth; postpartum process.