Ms. Rasche, the number of clinics offering obstetric care has fallen sharply since 1991. More than 40 percent decline. Karl Lauterbach has now reacted and pledged financial support for 2023 and 2024 amounting to 120 million euros each. Is that enough? The money is distributed to the federal states, which then decide for themselves which clinics to invest in. Smaller birthing centers don’t make as much profit, so these homes are more likely to close. This is catastrophic for ensuring good obstetric care across the board in Germany. If women live in outlying areas and have to travel a long way to the nearest clinic, then care is no longer guaranteed.

What does optimal obstetric care look like?

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