New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVII,
Issue 9 / May 5, 2026
This is an amendment to 8.370.17 NMAC, Sections 7, 12
& 25 effective 5/5/2026.
8.370.17.7 DEFINITIONS:.
[ A. “AABC” means American association of
birth centers.
B. “Administrator” means the person who is
delegated the administrative responsibility for interpreting, implementing, and
applying policies and procedures at the birth center. The administrator is responsible for
establishing and maintaining safe and effective management, control and
operation of the facility and all of the services provided at the facility,
including fiscal management. The
administrator must meet the minimum administrator qualifications in these
regulations.
C. “Applicant” means the individual or
legal entity that applies for a license.
If the applicant is a legal entity, then the individual signing the
license application on behalf of the legal entity must have written legal
authority from the legal entity to act on its behalf and execute the
application. The license applicant must
be the legal owner of the facility.
D. “Apprentice midwife” means an
individual as defined in and licensed under 16.11.3 NMAC, as amended, and
currently in good standing.
E. “ACNM” means the American college of
nurse midwives.
F. “Basic life support” (BLS) means
training and current certification in adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation
equivalent to American heart association class C basic life support and in emergency treatment of a victim of cardiac or respiratory arrest through
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
G. “Birth assistant” means a staff person
over the age of 18 who is capable of recognizing complications and who can care
for the mother and infant by performing normal postpartum and newborn
care. At a minimum, a birth assistant
must be trained and have current certifications in BLS and neonatal
resuscitation program (NRP) and can only function under the direct supervision
of a licensed provider immediately available on site.
H. “Birth center” (BC) means a
freestanding birth center licensed by the state for the primary purpose of
performing low-risk deliveries that is not a hospital, attached to a hospital
or in a hospital, and where births are planned to occur away from the mother’s
residence following a low-risk pregnancy.
I. “Birth room” or “birthing room” means a private room
of sufficient size to accommodate a client in active labor with the equipment
and personnel necessary to assist the mother in a safe birth and in full
compliance with the minimum standards in these regulations. Any facility with four or more birthing rooms
must also comply with the birthing room and center requirements in the current
edition of the facility guidelines institute, guidelines for design and
construction, specific requirements for freestanding birth centers.
J. “CABC” means the commission for the
accreditation of birth centers.
K. “Certified nurse midwife” means a
licensed individual educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery as
defined and licensed under 16.11.2 NMAC, as amended, and currently in good
standing.
L. “Certified nurse practitioner” means a registered
nurse as defined and licensed under the Nursing Practice Act, Section 61-3-23.2 NMSA 1978, as amended, and related
regulations and is currently in good standing.
M. “CLIA” means Clinical laboratory
improvement amendments of 1988 as amended.
N. “Client” means any person who receives
care, including a mother, infant or newborn, at a freestanding birth center.
O. “Compliance” means the facility’s adherence to these regulations,
as well as any and all other applicable state and federal statutes and
regulations. Compliance violations may
result in sanctions, civil monetary penalties and revocation or suspension of
the facility license.
P. “Deficiency” means a violation of or
failure to comply with any provision(s) of these regulations.
Q. “Employee” means any person who works
at the facility and is a direct hire of the owner or management company, if
applicable.
R. “External quality
committee” means the members of the internal quality committee and an
external peer reviewer or a clinical consultant and any other facility
healthcare partners, as available.
S. “Facility” means the physical premises,
building(s) and equipment where the freestanding birth center services are provided,
whether owned or leased and which is licensed pursuant to these regulations.
T. “Incident” means any known, alleged or suspected event
of abuse, neglect, exploitation, injuries of unknown origin or other reportable
incidents.
U. “Incident management system” means the written policies and procedures
adopted or developed by the licensed health facility for reporting abuse,
neglect, exploitation, injuries of unknown origin or other reportable
incidents.
V. “Incident report form” means the reporting format issued by the
authority for the reporting of incidents or complaints.
W. “Internal quality committee” means and
includes the administrator and clinical director at a minimum. If the administrator and clinical director
are the same person, another staff person with clinical experience must serve
on the internal quality committee. Other
staff at the facility may also serve on this committee as deemed appropriate.
X. “License” means the document issued by the
licensing authority pursuant to these regulations granting the legal right to
operate a birth center for a specified period of time, at the physical
premises, not to exceed one year.
Y. “Licensee” means the person(s) or legal
entity that operates the physical premises and facility and in whose name the
facility license has been issued and who is legally responsible for compliance
with these regulations.
Z. “Licensed midwife” means a licensed
individual as defined and licensed under 16.11.3 NMAC, as amended, currently in
good standing.
AA. “Licensed practical nurse” means a
licensed individual as defined and licensed under the Nursing Practice Act,
Section 61-3-19 NMSA 1978, as amended, currently in good standing.
BB. “Licensing authority” means the New
Mexico health care authority.
CC. “Low risk pregnancy” means a pregnancy
that is determined by documented medical history, risk assessment, and prenatal
care that reasonably predicts an outcome of a normal and uncomplicated labor
and birth.
DD. “Management company” means the legal
entity that manages the facility, if different from the legal owner of the
facility.
EE. “Midwife” means a licensed individual
authorized to practice midwifery in New Mexico as defined and licensed under
16.11.2 NMAC, as amended, or 16.11.3 NMAC, as amended, currently in good
standing.
FF. “NFPA” means the national fire
protection association which sets codes and standards for building fire safety.
GG. “NMSA” means the New Mexico Statutes
Annotated 1978 compilation and all subsequent amendments, revisions and
compilations.
HH. “Neonatal
resuscitation program” (NRP)
means training and current certification in both the NRP module on medications
and the module on intubation using an endotracheal tube (ET)
or laryngeal
mask airway (LMA) or both,
endorsed by American academy of pediatrics or the American heart association.
II. “Quality assurance” means the licensed health care facility’s on-going
comprehensive self-assessment of compliance with these regulations and any and
all other applicable statutes and regulations including, but not limited to,,
the facility’s own policies and procedures and incident investigations,
documentation, reporting and reviewing of all alleged incidents of abuse,
neglect, exploitation, injuries of unknown origin or other reportable incidents
for study and improvement of the facility’s organizational, administrative and
preventative practices in employee training and reporting.
JJ. “Quality improvement system” means a systematic approach to the
continuous study and improvement of the efficacy of organizational,
administrative and clinical practices to meet the needs of persons served,
address any changing regulatory requirements and achieve the facility’s mission,
values and goals.
KK. “Physician” means a licensed
individual, currently in good standing, authorized to practice medicine as
defined and licensed under the New Mexico Medical Practice Act, Sections 61-6-1
to 61-6-34 NMSA 1978, as amended, and related regulations or osteopathic
medicine as defined and licensed under Sections 61-10-1 to 61-10-22 NMSA 1978,
as amended, and related regulations.
LL. “Physician's assistant” means an
individual, currently in good standing, who
is licensed and authorized to provide services to patients under the
supervision and direction of a licensed physician under the Physician Assistant
Act, Sections 61-6-7 to 61-6-10 NMSA 1978, as amended and related regulations,
or is authorized and licensed to provide services to patients under the
supervision and direction of a licensed osteopathic physician under the
Osteopathic Physicians' Assistants Act, Sections 61-10A-1 to 61-10-7 NMSA 1978
as amended, and related regulations.
MM. “Plan
of correction” (POC) means the
plan submitted by the licensee or its representative(s) addressing how and when
deficiencies identified through a survey or investigation will be
corrected. A plan of correction is a
public record once it has been approved by the regulatory authority and is
admissible for all purposes in any adjudicatory hearing and all subsequent
appeals relating to a facility license, including to prove licensee compliance
violations or failures.
NN. “Policy” means a written statement that
guides and determines present and future facility decisions and actions.
OO. “Premises” means all of the facility
including buildings, grounds and equipment.
PP. “Procedure” means the action(s) that
must be taken in order to implement a written policy.
QQ. “Registered nurse” means an individual,
currently in good standing, who is licensed and authorized to provide nursing
services under the Nursing Practice Act, Sections 61-3-1 to 61-3-30 NMSA 1978,
as amended, and related regulations.
RR. “Scope of practice” means the
procedures, actions, and processes that a healthcare practitioner is permitted
to undertake under the terms of their professional license. The scope of practice is limited to that
which the applicable law allows for specific education, training, experience
and demonstrated competency.
SS. “Staff” means any person who works at
the facility, and includes employees, contracted persons, independent
contractors and volunteers who perform work or provide goods and services at
the facility.
TT. “U/L approved” means approved for
safety by the national underwriters laboratory.
UU. “Variance” means a written decision, made
at the licensing authority’s sole discretion, allowing a licensee and facility
to deviate from a portion(s) or provision of these regulations for a specified
time period not exceeding a year, providing the variance does not jeopardize
the health, safety or welfare of the facility’s clients, patients and staff and
is not in violation of other applicable state and federal statutes and
regulations.
VV. “Violation” means any and all actions
or procedures by the facility or licensee that are not in compliance with these
regulations and any and all other applicable state and federal statutes and
regulations.
WW. “Waive” or “waiver” means a written decision, made at the licensing
authority’s sole discretion, to allow a birth center to refrain from complying
with a portion(s) or provision of these regulations for a limited and specified
time period not exceeding a year, providing the waiver does not jeopardize the
health, safety or welfare of the facility’s clients, patients and staff and is
not in violation of other applicable state and federal statutes and
regulations.]
A. Definitions
beginning with “A”:
(1) “AABC” means American association of
birth centers.
(2) “Administrator” means the person who is
delegated the administrative responsibility for interpreting, implementing, and
applying policies and procedures at the birth center. The administrator is responsible for
establishing and maintaining safe and effective management, control and
operation of the facility and all of the services provided at the facility,
including fiscal management. The
administrator must meet the minimum administrator qualifications in these regulations.
(3) “Applicant” means the individual or
legal entity that applies for a license.
If the applicant is a legal entity, then the individual signing the
license application on behalf of the legal entity must have written legal
authority from the legal entity to act on its behalf and execute the
application. The license applicant must
be the legal owner of the facility.
(4) “Apprentice midwife” means an
individual as defined in and licensed under 16.11.3 NMAC, as amended, and
currently in good standing.
(5) “ACNM” means the American college of
nurse midwives.
B. Definitions
beginning with “B”:
(1) “Basic
life support” (BLS) means training and current certification in adult
cardiopulmonary resuscitation equivalent to American heart association class C
basic life support and in emergency treatment of a victim of cardiac or
respiratory arrest through cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac
care.
(2) “Birth assistant” means a staff person
over the age of 18 who is capable of recognizing complications and who can care
for the mother and infant by performing normal postpartum and newborn
care. At a minimum, a birth assistant
must be trained and have current certifications in BLS and neonatal
resuscitation program (NRP) and can only function under the direct supervision
of a licensed provider immediately available on site.
(3) “Birth center” (BC) means a
freestanding birth center licensed by the state for the primary purpose of
performing low-risk deliveries that is not a hospital, attached to a hospital
or in a hospital, and where births are planned to occur away from the mother’s
residence following a low-risk pregnancy.
(4) “Birth
room” or “birthing room” means a
private room of sufficient size to accommodate a client in active labor with
the equipment and personnel necessary to assist the mother in a safe birth and
in full compliance with the minimum standards in these regulations. Any facility with four or more birthing rooms
must also comply with the birthing room and center requirements in the current
edition of the facility guidelines institute, guidelines for design and
construction, specific requirements for freestanding birth centers.
C. Definitions
beginning with “C”:
(1) “CABC”
means the commission for the accreditation of birth centers.
(2) “Certified nurse midwife” means a
licensed individual educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery as
defined and licensed under 16.11.2 NMAC, as amended, and currently in good
standing.
(3) “Certified nurse practitioner” means a
registered nurse as defined and licensed under the Nursing Practice Act,
Section 61-3-23.2 NMSA 1978, as amended, and related regulations and is
currently in good standing.
(4) “CLIA” means clinical laboratory
improvement amendments of 1988 as amended.
(5) “Client” means any person who receives
care, including a mother, infant or newborn, at a freestanding birth center.
(6) “Compliance” means the facility’s adherence to these regulations, as well as any and all
other applicable state and federal statutes and regulations. Compliance violations may result in
sanctions, civil monetary penalties and revocation or suspension of the
facility license.
D. Definitions
beginning with “D”:
(1) “Deficiency” means a violation of or failure to comply with
any provision(s) of these regulations.
(2) “Doula” means a trained, nonmedical professional who
provides services, including health education, advocacy or physical, emotional
or social support, to a person during the pre-conception period, pregnancy,
childbirth or the postpartum period to promote positive health outcomes.
E. Definitions
beginning with “E”:
(1) “Employee” means any person who works
at the facility and is a direct hire of the owner or management company, if
applicable.
(2) “External
quality committee” means the members of the internal quality committee and
an external peer reviewer or a clinical consultant and any other facility
healthcare partners, as available.
F. Definitions
beginning with “F”: “Facility” means the physical premises,
building(s) and equipment where the freestanding birth center services are
provided, whether owned or leased and which is licensed pursuant to these
regulations.
G. Definitions beginning with “G”: [RESERVED]
H. Definitions
beginning with “H”: [RESERVED]
I. Definitions beginning with “I”:
(1) “Incident” means any known, alleged or suspected event of abuse, neglect,
exploitation, injuries of unknown origin or other reportable incidents.
(2) “Incident management system” means the written policies and procedures adopted or developed by the
licensed health facility for reporting abuse, neglect, exploitation, injuries
of unknown origin or other reportable incidents.
(3) “Incident report form” means the reporting format issued by the authority for the reporting
of incidents or complaints.
(4) “Internal quality committee” means and
includes the administrator and clinical director at a minimum. If the administrator and clinical director
are the same person, another staff person with clinical experience must serve
on the internal quality committee. Other
staff at the facility may also serve on this committee as deemed appropriate.
J. Definitions
beginning with “J”: [RESERVED]
K. Definitions
beginning with “K”: [RESERVED]
L. Definitions
beginning with “L”:
(1) “License” means the document issued by
the licensing authority pursuant to these regulations granting the legal right to
operate a birth center for a specified period of time, at the physical
premises, not to exceed one year.
(2) “Licensee” means the person(s) or legal
entity that operates the physical premises and facility and in whose name the
facility license has been issued and who is legally responsible for compliance
with these regulations.
(3) “Licensed midwife” means a licensed
individual as defined and licensed under 16.11.3 NMAC, as amended, currently in
good standing.
(4) “Licensed practical nurse” means a
licensed individual as defined and licensed under the Nursing Practice Act,
Section 61-3-19 NMSA 1978, as amended, currently in good standing.
(5) “Licensing authority” means the New
Mexico health care authority.
(6) “Low risk pregnancy” means a pregnancy
that is determined by documented medical history, risk assessment, and prenatal
care that reasonably predicts an outcome of a normal and uncomplicated labor
and birth.
M. Definitions
beginning with “M”:
(1) “Management company” means the legal entity that manages the
facility, if different from the legal owner of the facility.
(2) “Midwife” means a licensed individual
authorized to practice midwifery in New Mexico as defined and licensed under
16.11.2 NMAC, as amended, or 16.11.3 NMAC, as amended, currently in good
standing.
N. Definitions
beginning with “N”:
(1) “NFPA” means the national fire
protection association which sets codes and standards for building fire safety.
(2) “NMSA” means the New Mexico Statutes
Annotated 1978 compilation and all subsequent amendments, revisions and
compilations.
(3) “Neonatal resuscitation program” (NRP) means training and current
certification in both the NRP module on medications and the module on
intubation using an endotracheal tube (ET) or laryngeal
mask airway (LMA)
or both, endorsed by American academy of pediatrics or the American heart
association.
O. Definitions beginning with “O”: [RESERVED]
P. Definitions beginning with “P”:
(1) “Physician” means a licensed individual,
currently in good standing, authorized to practice medicine as defined and
licensed under the New Mexico Medical Practice Act, Sections 61-6-1 to 61-6-34
NMSA 1978, as amended, and related regulations or osteopathic medicine as
defined and licensed under Sections 61-10-1 to 61-10-22 NMSA 1978, as amended,
and related regulations.
(2) “Physician's assistant” means an
individual, currently in good standing, who is licensed and authorized to
provide services to patients under the supervision and direction of a licensed
physician under the Physician Assistant Act, Sections 61-6-7 to 61-6-10 NMSA
1978, as amended and related regulations, or is authorized and licensed to
provide services to patients under the supervision and direction of a licensed
osteopathic physician under the Osteopathic Physicians' Assistants Act,
Sections 61-10A-1 to 61-10-7 NMSA 1978 as amended, and related regulations.
(3) “Plan
of correction” (POC) means the
plan submitted by the licensee or its representative(s) addressing how and when
deficiencies identified through a survey or investigation will be
corrected. A plan of correction is a
public record once it has been approved by the regulatory authority and is
admissible for all purposes in any adjudicatory hearing and all subsequent
appeals relating to a facility license, including to prove licensee compliance
violations or failures.
(4) “Policy” means a written statement that
guides and determines present and future facility decisions and actions.
(5) “Premises” means all of the facility
including buildings, grounds and equipment.
(6) “Procedure” means the action(s) that
must be taken in order to implement a written policy.
Q. Definitions beginning with “Q”:
(1) “Quality assurance” means the licensed health care facility’s on-going comprehensive
self-assessment of compliance with these regulations and any and all other
applicable statutes and regulations including, but not limited to,, the
facility’s own policies and procedures and incident investigations,
documentation, reporting and reviewing of all alleged incidents of abuse,
neglect, exploitation, injuries of unknown origin or other reportable incidents
for study and improvement of the facility’s organizational, administrative and
preventative practices in employee training and reporting.
(2) “Quality improvement system”
means a systematic approach to the continuous study and improvement of the
efficacy of organizational, administrative and clinical practices to meet the
needs of persons served, address any changing regulatory requirements and
achieve the facility’s mission, values and goals.
R. Definitions
beginning with “R”: “Registered nurse” means an individual,
currently in good standing, who is licensed and authorized to provide nursing
services under the Nursing Practice Act, Sections 61-3-1 to 61-3-30 NMSA 1978,
as amended, and related regulations.
S. Definitions beginning with “S”:
(1) “Scope of practice” means the
procedures, actions, and processes that a healthcare practitioner is permitted
to undertake under the terms of their professional license. The scope of practice is limited to that
which the applicable law allows for specific education, training, experience
and demonstrated competency.
(2) “Staff” means any person who works at
the facility, and includes employees, contracted persons, independent
contractors and volunteers who perform work or provide goods and services at
the facility.
T. Definitions beginning with
“T”: [RESERVED]
U. Definitions
beginning with “U”: “U/L approved” means approved for
safety by the national underwriters laboratory.
V. Definitions
beginning with “V”:
(1) “Variance”
means a written decision, made at the licensing authority’s sole discretion,
allowing a licensee and facility to deviate from a portion(s) or provision of
these regulations for a specified time period not exceeding a year, providing
the variance does not jeopardize the health, safety or welfare of the
facility’s clients, patients and staff and is not in violation of other
applicable state and federal statutes and regulations.
(2) “Violation” means any and all actions
or procedures by the facility or licensee that are not in compliance with these
regulations and any and all other applicable state and federal statutes and
regulations.
W. Definitions
beginning with “W”: “Waive” or “waiver” means a written
decision, made at the licensing authority’s sole discretion, to allow a birth
center to refrain from complying with a portion(s) or provision of these
regulations for a limited and specified time period not exceeding a year,
providing the waiver does not jeopardize the health, safety or welfare of the
facility’s clients, patients and staff and is not in violation of other
applicable state and federal statutes and regulations.
X. Definitions
beginning with “X”: [RESERVED]
Y. Definitions
beginning with “Y”: [RESERVED]
Z. Definitions
beginning with “Z”: [RESERVED]
[8.370.17.7 NMAC -
N, 7/1/2024; A,
5/5/2026]
8.370.17.12 ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED WITH
LICENSE APPLICATION: The authority reserves the right to require
an applicant to provide any and all additional documents, as part of its
license application, in order for the authority to determine whether the
applicant and the facility are in full compliance with these regulations, as
well as any and all other applicable statutes and regulations. At a minimum, additional documents required
to be attached to the initial license application, include, but are not limited
to:
A. Building
approvals: The applicant must submit
all building approvals required for the facility to operate in the jurisdiction
in which it is located, including, but not limited to:
(1) written
building approvals and certificates of occupancy from the appropriate authority
(state, city, county, or municipality) for business occupancy; and
(2) written
fire safety approvals from the fire safety authority having jurisdiction.
B. Environment
approvals: If applicable or
required, the applicant must provide written approval from the New Mexico
environment department for the following:
(1) private
water supply;
(2) private
waste or sewage disposal; and
(3) ultrasound
equipment.
C. Board of pharmacy approvals: A copy of facility’s drug permit issued by
the state board of pharmacy must be provided.
D. Program
outline: The applicant must submit with
its license application a program outline consistent with these regulations
which includes at a minimum, the following information:
(1) a
list of all services and the scope of those services to be provided by the
proposed facility;
(2) projected
number of clients to be served monthly;
(3) a
list of staffing and personnel
requirements and duties to be performed;
(4) a
list of all services that will be contracted or arranged with any other health
providers including ambulance services, admitting hospitals, consultation with
medical practitioners, laboratory work and equipment providers;
(5) the
number of examination rooms, birth rooms, family rooms and other rooms for
diagnostic or other use including, but not limited to,,
ultrasound, laboratory, clean linen storage and waste disposal;
(6) an
organizational structure diagram or chart including the administrator, advisory
body or board of directors, if any, staff, clinical director, internal quality
committee and external quality committee; and
(7) quality
improvement systems and quality assurance processes.
E. Policies
and procedures: The applicant must
submit with its license application a copy of the facility’s policies and
procedures which must comply with these regulations.
F. Policies and procedures for doula
access:
(1) adopt and maintain written policies
and procedures authorizing a patient to select a doula of the patient's choice
to accompany the patient within the facility's premises for the purposes of
providing services during pregnancy, childbirth and the twelve-month postpartum
period;
(2) provide a written copy of the policies
and procedures adopted pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this subsection to:
(a) health care providers providing
services related to pregnancy, childbirth or the twelve-month postpartum period
at the facility;
(b) patients receiving services related to
pregnancy, childbirth or the 12-month postpartum period at the facility; and
(c) any other person, at the request of
the patient; and
(3) post a notice of the facility's
policies and procedures adopted pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this subsection:
(a) in the room of a patient admitted to
the facility for services related to pregnancy, childbirth or the twelve-month
postpartum period; and
(b) on the facility's website.
[8.370.17.12 NMAC - N,
7/1/2024; A, 5/5/2026]
8.370.17.25 CLIENT RIGHTS: All
facilities licensed pursuant to these regulations shall support, protect, and
respect clients’ rights. Facility staff
shall receive training on client rights and demonstrate understanding and
competence in the policies and procedures regarding client rights. Client rights will be posted or made
available to facility clients in English or their preferred language. The method by which a client may register a
complaint against the facility will be posted or otherwise made available to
clients. The facility shall have and
enforce policies and procedures which guarantee:
A. the
right to equal service, regardless of race, gender, gender identity, religion,
ethnic background, sexual orientation, education, social class, physical or
mental handicap, or economic status;
B. the
right to considerate, courteous and respectful care from all staff;
C. the
right to complete information using terms the average client can reasonably be
expected to understand;
D. the
right to informed consent, full discussion of risks and benefits prior to any invasive
procedure, except in an emergency, and advice regarding alternatives to the
proposed procedure(s);
E. the
right to receive a written list of all services available, service costs and
advanced notice of any changes;
F. the
right to receive care that is consistent with current scientific evidence about
benefits and risks;
G. the
right for non-English speaking clients to obtain assistance in interpretation;
H. the
right to know the names, titles, professions and specific types and licenses
held by the facility staff to whom the client speaks to and from whom services
or information are received;
I. the
right to refuse examinations and procedures to the extent permitted by law and
to be informed of the health and legal consequences of any refusal;
J. the
right of access to the client's personal health records;
K. the
right of respect for the client's privacy;
L. the
right of confidentiality of the client's personal health records as provided by
law;
M. the
right to expect reasonable continuity of care within the scope of services and
staffing;
N. the
right to have the client's civil rights, cultural background and religious
opinions respected;
O. the
right to present complaints to the management of the facility without fear of
reprisal; and
P. the
right to examine and receive a full explanation of any charges made by the
facility regardless of source of payment.
Q. the right to select a doula of the
patient's choice to accompany the patient within the facility's premises for
the purposes of providing services during pregnancy, childbirth and the
twelve-month postpartum period.
[8.370.17.25 NMAC - N, 7/1/2024; A, 5/5/2026]