Meritus Family Birthing Center - Hagerstown, Maryland

Rachel Keefer

The midwives and nurses I had during my delivery and entire pregnancy were truly amazing. Kendra was on call the night I went into labor and she delivered our beautiful baby girl and throughout the process she was so kind and professional. Every nurse we had was attentive and caring and I wish I remembered all their names. Beatrice was the nurse who was in the room when I gave birth and she was the sweetest. One nurse stood out though, and that was Melissa. She was such a comfort and she helped give me the birth experience I’ve always wanted. She comforted my husband during some hard moments of my labor and she explained the entire process and everything that was going on and put our minds at ease. We will never forget her.

Raf Gervasio

We had an amazing experience from the first visit until delivering our precious daughter. The L&D staff was very accommodating to my wife’s desires, and Maecy was absolutely a God-send. She knew right what to do at every step, and was very encouraging, kind, and an absolute blessing. We only wish we could have found her chapstick before we left. Thank you Maecy and the whole Meritus Family Birthing Center!

Kayla Nicole

It’s been over a year now since I gave birth to my daughter at Meritus. I got prompted via text after my delivery to review my experience, in which I explained the traumatic experience I had with the anesthesiologist, Anna Novikova. I requested I be contacted regarding the situation, but nobody ever has. Not only was Anna Novikova treatment towards me absolutely appalling, but NOBODY should ever be talked to or treated that way in their most vulnerable state. I was yelled at by her and berated for crying, she told me I “had nothing to be crying about” while almost 7cm dilated! Not only that but she insisted on taping up my ENTIRE back even after the nurse told her that was too much tape and it’s hard to get off. Well guess what? she inserted the needle WRONG and I never went numb. She finally came back in, while I’m in the worst pain of my life, and questioned me REPEATEDLY on if I was truly numb or not and basically insinuated I was lying. Maybe she didn’t know that I’ve had a child before - I know how it feels when it’s inserted correctly and I know if I’m numb or not. She then has to rip ALLL that tape off that she just covered my back with to redo the epidural. (No wonder she was trying not to) Luckily she did insert the second one correctly and I went numb, but I literally pushed my daughter out an hour later. So only an hour of being numbed during my entire 18 hr labor. Truly, the worst part still for me was the way she spoke to me and yelled at me for crying while inserting that needle into my back - took away from & ruined what should’ve been a beautiful memory, the birth of my daughter. I would’ve chosen no epidural over the treatment I received from Anna. It’s pretty bad when even the nurses tell you they don’t like her and she’s just a provider so there’s nothing they can do. I strongly would urge you to no longer contract Anna Novikova - as she has no idea how to handle women who are in ACTIVE labor. Still so disgusted by her behavior and my back is now permanently messed up from her first failed attempt at my epidural. I’m hoping to get further testing to prove its because of her negligence. I just hope with sharing my experience nobody else has to experience this woman’s awful behavior.

* I need to add - ALL my nurses were absolutely wonderful, they really helped to save the experience with how caring and accommodating they were. I do not want this review to reflect negatively on anyone aside from Anna Novikova. *

Katelin Pinnell

I’m writing this review after a lot of thought and consideration. I was psychologically and physically mistreated by the staff at this hospital during my labor and delivery. I went to the Meritus OB center here at Suit 107 for my entire pregnancy, this was my first pregnancy. The whole pregnancy I declined cervical exams and internal ultrasounds because I am a r4pe victim and I have been assaulted by both my parents and health care professionals. The majority of the office staff seemed very judgmental of me declining these procedures. Then when I finally went into labor at approx. 40 weeks, I went into this labor and delivery office after laboring at home for over an hour. I stayed home for over an hour counting contraction patterns. I knew I was in true labor. We went to the hospital and we were taken to the delivery room, I labored there hooked up to the contraction monitor for roughly 2 more hours. Then my CNM, Cynthia, came in. I requested nitrous but the tank was down so I requested the epidural as back up. CNM Cynthia said that I couldn’t get the epidural without a cervical exam first, I declined but she said that they “NEEDED” to do an exam to decide whether or not I was in “true labor” because if I wasn’t in “true labor” then I couldn’t get pain management. I had already been hooked up to a contraction monitor for 2 hours, I had already labored at home for an hour, I was screaming in pain and felt like I had to poop….but she couldn’t already tell I was in “true labor” without an exam?! It was malpractice and assault! She manipulated me into getting the exam during my most vulnerable moment, she coerced me by saying I’d received medication. I was in so much pain that I finally agreed. She performed the exam, I kept my eyes closed and cried, I felt so violated, I was in so much pain, all I could remember was what happened to me when I was younger and the trauma being relived. It was horrific. She determined that I was 4cm dilated, then she left to assist another patient. About an hour later I was 10cm dilated and pushing, CNM Cynthia WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THE DELIVERY. Instead nurse Danielle delivered my daughter. My labored progressed so quickly I didn’t even have time for the pain management and ended up delivering her naturally. So the exam did absolutely nothing but resurface old trauma. I couldn’t have done it without nurse Danielle. She saved my labor experience and made me feel so supported. I would have been far more comfortable with nurse Danielle than CNM Cynthia. Nurse Danielle listened to my concerns! CNM Cynthia and anyone else who performs a cervical exam on a patient who declined them when it won’t change the plan of care should have their licenses revoked. Cervical exams are only necessary if it will tell you something immediate that will change your immediate plan/course of care. CNM Cynthia knew my exam was pointless and took advantage of me in a vulnerable state anyways. I couldn’t be more disappointed, when my daughter was delivered she was Jaundice - they checked her bilirubin and it was 20%, she was yellow. They knew this and didn’t incubate or help her. They sent me home with a yellow and sick baby girl and somehow I still got a $13,000 hospital bill even though I delivered naturally, was violated, got no help for my sick baby, and the only postpartum pain management they gave me for a natural delivery was Motrin.

Expecting mamas DONT GO HERE!!!!!

Jesse P

Meritus Medical Centers labor and delivery department is TOP NOTCH. We went to MMC after being sent from my wife’s doctor during pregnancy for preeclampsia symptoms.

The nurses and doctors were amazing. My wife ended up having to have our twins early for medical reasons and the staff was great at explaining everything. My wife needed help after giving birth and the nurses were so compassionate.

Our boys stayed in the NICU for a bit and Dr Uddin and Dr Mandoa were amazing. The nurses were also great. Being able to come or call in 24/7 was amazing and helped ease the sting of not having our boys home with us. Dr Budi who is now an executive at the hospital even stopped by to say hi and even covered a shift once even though he is on the administrative side, which I thought was very respectful and admirable because he didn’t forget where he came from.

I’d recommend this place for everyone. They truly care about families.

Kyle Geesaman

I'm really surprised there are no reviews here. Ill gladly be the first. First off, the nursing staff here are the greatest group of nurses I've encountered. They were more than accommodating to my wife and even made sure I was good during the whole stay. Everyone was professional and personal at the same time which made the experience perfect. The Doctors are great but the nursing staff is the best around. We had a birthing plan of skin to skin for an hour and some other things and come to find out, that's all standard here, just so awesome!! They really are focusing on what's best for the Mother and Baby here. If you are unsure where to go to deliver your baby, come to Meritus Birthing for the best experience you can have. We've had 2 of our 4 babies here, 5 years apart, and both of these times were just amazing and will be forever memorable. It's weird leaving a review for a birthing center but I really felt compelled to write this because everyone was so great! This time and 5 years ago!! Thank you nursing staff (and doctors)!!!!!!

Judith Ampeh

The level of comfort from the team here is immeasurable. I birthed here and I surprisingly almost cried when I came home from being discharged. I asked my boyfriend if I am sick for that lol. The nurses and the nurse assistants are the best I loved everyone that was assigned to me. Danielle, Courtney, Ariel, Brittany, Holly…. I feel bad I can’t remember some names. May your good works take you higher places.

Robin Mcleod

I was a family member of a granddaughter who had a baby. I was treated poorly when I tried to visit and see my great granddaughter. Security was very rude to me in the birthing area. I had to jump through hoops to see my family. I hope the birthing center and security guards and nurses have a better attitude if anyone else has an experience at metitus .