"Councillors late Thursday approved the plan to offer future mothers vouchers worth €1,000 to spend at local businesses if they agreed to bring their child into the world in the town, instead of travelling to a bigger hospital. "We're not paying women to have babies, we're giving money to women who are already pregnant and decide to give birth in Saint-Armand," right-wing mayor Emmanuel Riotte told AFP. He said mothers would have to come in for prenatal check-ups first."
"Four doctor unions -- representing anaesthesiologists, obstetricians and emergency physicians -- have warned patients should not be choosing where to give birth solely based on monetary compensation, warning of the risk in case of complications. "When a maternity ward is threatened with closure, it's not for economic reasons but for safety reasons," they said this week in a joint statement."
Saint-Amand-Montrond will offer expectant mothers €1,000 vouchers from January 1 to incentivize births at the local maternity ward amid falling birth rates and rural unit closures. The labour ward projects 226 births this year, below the legally required 300 to remain open. Councillors approved vouchers to be spent at local businesses for mothers who choose to deliver in town rather than travel to larger hospitals. The mayor said payments target already pregnant women and require prenatal check-ups, while complicated births will be referred to specialised hospitals. Doctor unions warned monetary incentives should not drive delivery location decisions due to safety and staffing concerns.
Read at The Local France
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