 What is Midwifery?
What do Midwives do?
Are there different kinds of Midwives?
What are the advantages of choosing a Midwife?
Is it legal?
How safe is Nurse-Midwifery?
What kinds of women see nurse-midwives?
Would I have to have my baby at home?
Do I have to have my baby "naturally" or without any drugs?
Will my insurance company cover the costs of Nurse-Midwifery services?
Would I ever see a doctor?
What is Midwifery?
Midwifery is the ancient art of helping women in childbirth. The word "midwife" derives from Old English-- "mid" = with, and "wyfe" = woman. Midwives are the traditional caregivers for pregnant women, women in labor, and newborns, and are mentioned in writings as old as Greek texts from the 5th century BC and the Hebrew Bible. Today midwives continue the tradition as trained specialists in the areas of normal pregnancy and birth, newborn care, and well-woman gynecologic care for women of all ages.
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What do Midwives do?
The goal of the midwife is to support birthing women physically and emotionally and facilitate the normal, non-traumatic birth of healthy newborns. While trained to anticipate and detect complications, midwives see themselves as "guardians" of normal birth in an age of increasing and sometimes gratuitous use of technology. Midwives provide family-centered care, based on the belief that childbearing is a meaningful time in the life of a family. Midwives view birth as a natural process, not an illness, and try to avoid the excessive use of invasive procedures. In many countries of the world, midwives provide the majority of maternity care, since a majority of women experience normal, low-risk pregnancies and births. In the United States, midwives attend a small but steadily growing percentage of births each year (More than 10% of all US births in 2001). Although most women are candidates for midwifery care, those who experience complications of pregnancy or delivery are referred to obstetricians.
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Are there different kinds of Midwives?
Midwives in the U.S. follow a variety of paths to receive their training. Some midwives are also nurses, and hold the title C.N.M., or Certified Nurse-midwife. Some midwives are direct-entry midwives, which means they are not nurses and went "directly" into the study of midwifery. Direct-entry midwives may hold the title C.P.M., or Certified Professional Midwife. Midwives practice in a variety of settings. Certified Nurse-midwives deliver babies mainly in hospitals, but some practice in birth centers or attend homebirths. Certified Professional Midwives and other direct-entry midwives deliver babies mainly at home, but might also work in birth centers.
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What are the advantages of choosing a Midwife?
Choosing a midwife is a decision you can be proud of. Throughout the twentieth century, midwives have been successful in lowering the infant mortality rate and the incidence of premature birth and low-birthweight babies. Recent national studies show that the cesarean section rate for midwives is 11.6%, one-half that of the national rate. Midwives also have successful VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) rates of 70%; the national average is 25%. And midwives perform episiotomy (the cutting of the lower end of the vagina to widen the birth canal) in 10% or less of their patients, as opposed to a national average of 63%. This means women who choose midwives are more likely to have a natural, non-traumatic vaginal birth and to recuperate faster.
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Is it legal?
Nurse-midwifery care is legally recognized and available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and some U.S. territories. Many CNMs are employed by a hospital or a physician practice, and some are in private practice.
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How safe is Nurse-Midwifery?
Many studies have consistently concluded that nurse-midwifery care has outcomes that are at least equal to that of physicians with the same type of patients. CNMs are particularly skilled at providing care that helps women prevent complications and communicate with their health care providers.
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What kinds of women see nurse-midwives?
Often, women who see nurse-midwives want to be active partners with their health care provider, asking questions and taking initiative. Many women feel more comfortable talking about personal matters with another woman, and many seek a knowledgeable source of information on healthy alternatives.
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Would I have to have my baby at home?
While some CNMs attend home births, I only attend births in the hospital. I have privileges at Hackley, North Ottawa Community Hospital and Mercy General. 95% of CNM's in the USA deliver in hospitals or birth centers.
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Do I have to have my baby "naturally" or without any drugs?
While CNMs are qualified to administer drugs, perform medical procedures and provide their clients with other technological interventions, they rely on technology when it is medically necessary, and in partnership with your goals. As a result, women are:
- less likely to have a Cesarean section
- less likely to have an episiotomy or a serious tear
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Will my insurance company cover the costs of Nurse-Midwifery services?
Many private insurance carriers, Medicare, Medicaid, cover nurse-midwifery care and many managed care programs. Their services are also covered by CHAMPUS & FEHBP. We will help determine whether your plan would cover services. If need be, we will work toward obtaining coverage for you.
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Would I ever see a doctor?
Nurse-midwives always have a specialist to call upon if a condition requires care beyond the scope of the midwife.
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