So you've heard about a midwife but you're not quite sure who we are or what we do. This post is designed to answer some of those questions and provide you with links to more information describing the role of midwives. There is so many facets to midwifery and our role in birth and every single piece of information is not included here, but it is a general way for you to be able to learn more about midwives.
So what is a midwife? How are we trained? How are we different from physicians? If you've ever found yourself asking these questions fear not! I have some answers for you. Certified nurse midwives are
educated in
both nursing and midwifery disciplines, earning graduate degrees and completing
a midwifery education program through a school accredited by the ACME
(Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education). Following completion of such a program, a
national certification exam given by the American Midwifery Certification Board
(ACMB) must be passed in order to receive and practice under the title,
CNM.
Midwives differ from physicians in that we take a more "hands off" approach. Instead of trying to manage your body, we let your body do what comes natural. Take a look at this comparison on YouTube made by a pregnant woman: OB/GYN vs Midwife
Midwives practice in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, birth centers, and within the home.
Are midwives as safe as physicians?
That's a question I personally get a lot. Here are the facts:
he American Journal
of Public Health published a statement that births attended by CNMs are as safe
as those attended by physicians.
·
Women receiving care
from physicians are three times more likely to receive an episiotomy and twice
as likely to receive induction medications and/or cesarean sections than women
being care for by midwives.
·
The Cochrane Pregnancy
and Childbirth Group found that midwife-led care is associated with several
benefits for mothers and babies and had no adverse effects.
·
In matching study
populations, midwives provide outcomes as safe as physicians with a lower rate
of cesareans, use of oxytocin and epidurals as well as a lower rate of low
birth weight infants.
Another question I get is what is a birth center?
Birth centers are
home-like structure that may be free-standing, or located within an existing
healthcare system, that offers care to low-risk women throughout pregnancy,
labor, and delivery. Their program of care is based on the wellness ideology of
pregnancy and birth being normal
·
Birth centers offer
family-centered care of the healthy woman before, during, and after normal
pregnancy, labor, and birth. Some of these facilities have their own laboratory
services, offer child birth education, home visits, extra office visits if
needed, and the initial newborn exams
·
Birth centers, through
studies, have proven to have comparable intrapartum and neonatal mortality
rates to those of low-risk hospital births. Birth centers are responsible for
meeting regulations of the state in which they are located for licensure. These
centers must follow stringent rules found in the National Standards for Birth
Centers, through Continuous Quality Improvement Program for Birth Centers, and
they must be accredited by the
Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers.
Here in North Carolina, there are two birth centers, one in Chapel Hill and another in Statesville.
Take a look around at these two wonderful birth centers!
Here are some great links to check out about midwifery:
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