Huntsville Memorial Hospital Rural Health Care Clinic has added Certified Nurse Midwife to its care team. Many are not fully educated about the training and skills of nurse midwives.
In the United States midwives provide healthcare services to women of all ages. Midwife means “with woman.” Midwives partner with women to help make important health decisions and collaborate with other members of a woman’s healthcare team when needed.
What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNMs)
A midwife is a healthcare professional providing various services, including gynecological exams, contraceptive counseling, prescriptions, prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum care, and menopausal management. CNMs have a college degree in nursing and a master’s in nurse-midwifery. CNMs are registered nurses who have graduated from an accredited nurse-midwifery education program and passed a national certification exam. They must have a license to practice midwifery in the state where they work. CNMs work in all healthcare settings, including hospitals, birth centers, offices, and clinics. CMNs provide general women’s health care throughout a woman’s lifetime.
What do midwives do?
Provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period. CNMs also provide general health services, annual checkups, contraception care (birth control), menopausal care, and treatment for common infections and health problems. Midwives provide reproductive education in fertility, nutrition, weight management, diet, exercise, contraception, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and infant care.
Why would I choose a midwife for care during my pregnancy?
Midwifery care is one of the options patients have available when planning their care. Care is provided through a high-quality focus on maternal wellness and minimal interventions. Midwives view pregnancy and birth as “normal” life events that can be a healthy time in your life. Midwives are experts in knowing the difference between normal changes that occur and symptoms that require extra/further attention. Midwives specialize in providing support and education in addition to regular health care. They work in partnership with physicians who can be available if needed. Midwives offer health care that respects each individual woman’s and family’s goals and choices.
- Benefits of receiving midwifery care:
- Decreased risk of needing a cesarean section
- Reduced rates of labor induction and augmentation
- Reduced use of anesthesia
- Decreased infant mortality rates
- Decreased risk of preterm birth
- Decreased third and fourth-degree perineal tears
- Increased chances of having a positive start to breastfeeding
- Increased satisfaction with the quality of care
Midwife Practice Model of Care:
A midwife practices according to the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) “Standards of Practice” Code of Ethics for Certified Nurse-Midwives, and “Philosophy of the American College of Nurse-Midwives,” and other evidence-based practices and protocols. The philosophy and model of care extend to the care of women throughout their lifespans.
What if I have a high-risk pregnancy or complication during labor?
Your midwife can prescribe medicine, order tests, and treat common illnesses you might get during pregnancy. The midwife will work with a physician who specializes in complications of pregnancy. If you have a medical problem during pregnancy or complications during labor, your midwife will work with a physician to make sure you get the best and safest care for you and your baby. Your midwife does not perform surgery. If you need to have a cesarean birth, the surgery will be done by the physician working with your midwife. Your midwife will also work with other healthcare providers: nurses, social workers, nutritionists, doulas, childbirth educators, physical therapists, and other specialists to help you get the care you need.
Goals and Mission:
Community nurse-midwives believe every woman is entitled to comprehensive healthcare that supports cultural variations and fosters the dignity of each individual. They partner with each individual to allow for shared-decision making and shared care planning. Family members and partners are welcomed and encouraged to participate. The goal of the midwife is for the patient to feel safe, respected, and heard. Midwives offer holistic care through low interventions, respect, and compassion. ACNM’s mission statement focuses on achieving optimal, equitable health outcomes for the people and community through inclusion, advocacy, education, leadership development, evidence-based practice, and research.
