The Southern District Health Board says "maternal and child hubs" will be created in Wanaka and Te Anau, while existing primary maternity supports will be enhanced at Tuatapere and Ranfurly.
However, Lumsden Maternity Centre will change from being an in-patient primary birthing unit to becoming a maternal and child hub.
The health board described a maternal and child hub as a "centre focused on providing antenatal and postnatal services that meet the needs of women and their babies in the local community".
It said the hub could include rooms for midwifery consultation and equipment such as a homebirth kit and cardiotocography for monitoring foetal heartrates and contractions.
The announcements come as part of the new Southern Maternity System of Care proposed by the health board today.
In all, under the proposal, the Southern district maternity system will have eight birthing units and five primary maternal and child hubs.
"Our aim is to provide district-wide primary maternity services which are clinically sound, sustainable, and support safe primary birthing," said health board executive director of strategy, primary and communities Lisa Gestro.
The DHB said maternal and child hubs could be scaled up to become primary birthing units in the future if birth numbers and workforce availability changed.
"The health and safety of mothers and their babies is always our paramount concern," health board chief nursing and midwifery officer Jane Wilson said.
"A strong, integrated network of primary maternity services is the best way to provide safe and effective care and ensures services are equitable and sustainable in the future."
This proposal will likely come as welcome news to the communities affected.
Te Anau has not had a midwife since Jo Lundman quit last year after struggling to make ends meet, while the Otago Daily Times reported last month Wanaka was due to be left with just one full-time lead maternity carer from April onwards due to the job being unsustainable.
