Are birthing centers truly safe and better for women wanting natural birth?

Yes: Generally speaking, birthing centers are less expensive, and are focused on healthy childbirth, which is a life cycle event. Hospitals are more focused on treating illness, and must treat births the same as everything else, like a medical event, so interventions in childbirth more likely. Birth centers are family friendly, safe, comfortable and encourage responsibility for health.

Depends: In one of my hospitals the "birthing center" is the L&D ward.Midwives practice side by side with OB's and an operating room is available and staffed 24/7 if a problem arises in labor needing intervention. You cannot replace the hour plus it takes to move an off site woman in labor to a hospital capable of emergency C-section. Minutes pass & babies suffer. Complications occur even in great settings