DETROIT — At a new clinical health site on the city’s northwest side, clients are greeted with love and kindness in a serene space, one where birthing women are surrounded by a support system of certified professionals.

This is the place where 17 babies were born in the past year. Their names are displayed on a family tree at the entrance of a building where a team of proud midwives greets guests each day.

Birth Detroit opened the Black-led birth center in 2025. It’s the only independent birthing center within the city. Their staff assists low-risk patients and their families in preparing for and delivering healthy babies in a safe and culturally relevant space. As the state battles high infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, health advocates say increasing access to midwifery services and culturally competent care can improve conditions.

Birth Detroit was founded in 2018 and became an operating nonprofit in 2020.…