Virtua Health is proud to announce that the Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center has once again earned accreditation from the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). This 2026 reaccreditation affirms the Center’s ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional, evidence-based, family-centered maternity care.
Located in Voorhees, the Virtua Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center first achieved CABC accreditation in 2023, becoming the first and only free-standing birth center in the state to receive this prestigious designation. The 2026 reaccreditation underscores the center’s sustained dedication to meeting and exceeding national standards for safety, quality, and patient experience.
Birth centers that pursue CABC accreditation undergo rigorous evaluation of their clinical practices, safety protocols, staff training, and quality-improvement processes. Accredited centers demonstrate a deep commitment to continuous learning and accountability through both internal and external review.
“To be reaccredited, the CABC completed a meticulous evaluation of the Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center’s policies and procedures, which included chart reviews and a site visit to establish the safety parameters in place at the Birthing Center,” explained Tammy Motzenbecker, lead midwife and clinical director of the Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center, who was instrumental in the reaccreditation process.
For birthing families, CABC accreditation provides meaningful assurance that their care team adheres to the highest standards in maternity care, remains current on the latest research, and is fully prepared to respond to emergencies. Accredited centers also uphold a shared decision-making model that ensures families have a voice in their care. By truly listening to birthing women and their support partners, midwives and staff gain a clearer understanding of each family’s needs throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum, and early parenting.
Since 2022, the Virtua Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center has participated in TeamBirth NJ—a statewide initiative that enhances communication and shared decision-making among birthing families, midwives, and care teams. This model continues to strengthen the center’s collaborative approach and reinforces its commitment to transparency, respect, and empowerment.
“I am incredibly proud of our team and grateful for their dedication throughout the reaccreditation process,” said Karen McEvoy Shields, CNM, MSN, FACNM, director of the Virtua Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center. “Maintaining CABC accreditation reflects our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality maternity care, including supported physiologic birth in a safe, intimate, individualized, and family-centered environment.”
For birth centers, CABC accreditation is a hallmark of excellence—signifying accountability to the families they serve, to their professional colleagues, and to their communities. Virtua Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center is honored to maintain this distinction, which recognizes the expertise, compassion, and dedication of its midwives and staff as they continue to deliver outstanding birth experiences and exceptional outcomes.
A Family’s Journey with Virtua Midwifery:
For Mullica Hill resident Rebecca Fidura, welcoming each of her five children has been a deeply emotional experience—one she credits to the compassionate care of the midwives at Virtua. Rebecca, 33, has delivered all five of her children with Virtua’s certified nurse midwives, including her last three at the Virtua Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center.
Rebecca’s first two children, Trey and Lyla, were born at Virtua Voorhees Hospital before the Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center opened. When the center launched, she immediately felt drawn to its warm, homey environment and natural-birth options. Her next three babies—Jax, Rosie, and Ronan—were all “caught” at the center, including a water birth with Rosie and a memorable New Year’s Day arrival for Ronan, the center’s first baby of the year. Her husband and doula were by her side, and she describes each birth as calm and supported.
Karen McEvoy Shields was a constant presence throughout her journey. Karen attended four of Rebecca’s five births. “Karen is a maternal figure to me and so many others,” Rebecca said. “She has a gift. She knows how to guide women through birth while still giving them the freedom to make their own choices. That balance is rare.”
Rebecca says she chose the center because she always envisioned a natural birth and appreciated the autonomy, the waterbirth option, and the peaceful setting. “Birth is a normal process,” she said. “You go to the hospital when you’re sick—not every birth is an emergency. The [Midwifery] Birth Center helps you feel calm instead of anxious.”
Reflecting on her healthy family, she added, “I’ve had a great experience with all of my deliveries. The midwives at Virtua provide a higher level of care. They treat you as a person, not a patient. It’s so relaxing and beautiful there. I associate my births with peaceful, joyful moments, and I owe a lot of that to the midwives at Virtua.”
About Virtua Health
Virtua Health is an academic health system committed to helping the people of South Jersey be well, get well, and stay well by providing the complete spectrum of advanced, accessible, and trusted health care services. Virtua’s 16,000 colleagues provide tertiary care, including renowned cardiology and transplant programs, complemented by a community-based care portfolio. In addition to five hospitals, two satellite emergency departments, 42 ambulatory surgery centers, and more than 400 other locations, Virtua brings health services directly into communities through Hospital at Home, physical therapy and rehabilitation, mobile screenings, and its paramedic program.
Virtua has 3,000 affiliated doctors and other clinicians, and its specialties include cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health, orthopedics, advanced surgery, and maternity. Virtua is academically affiliated with Rowan University, leading research, innovation, and immersive education at the Virtua Health College of Medicine & Life Sciences of Rowan University. Virtua is also affiliated with Penn Medicine for cancer and neuroscience, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for pediatrics.
As a not-for-profit health system, Virtua is committed to the well-being of the community and provides innovative outreach programs that address social challenges affecting health, most notably the “Eat Well” food access initiative, which includes the unparalleled Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store. To help Virtua make a difference, visit GiveToVirtua.org.