Introduction

SAFE Birth VA (Standardized Approaches for Emergencies in Birth – Virginia), a Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative (VNPC) initiative ordered through HB2753/SB1279, ensures the greatest possible standards of maternal care across healthcare facilities in the Commonwealth. Through this initiative, the VNPC will work with all Virginia hospitals that have a labor and delivery unit or emergency department, freestanding emergency departments, and birthing centers. The goal of this work is to equip facilities with evidence-based emergency protocols, checklists, and templates for identifying and responding to a wide range of obstetric emergencies.

Progress to Date

Since the SAFE Birth VA initiative formally kicked off on July 1, 2025, the VNPC has been hard at work developing the infrastructure for the initiative. In just a few short months, the VNPC has created a webpage for the SAFE Birth VA efforts, hosted informational webinars to foster awareness of the initiative, and has begun collecting data to better understand the landscape of maternal and infant health services in Virginia. This section details the VNPC’s efforts between July 1 and September 30, 2025.