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The Growing Demand for Midwives

Women today have options when it comes to their choice of maternity health care provider. The decision involves choosing the caregiver and the type of birth center and may have a lot to do with the type of pregnancy. Women with high-risk pregnancies or serious medical conditions generally choose a medical doctor in a hospital setting. However, 60-80% of all pregnant women are healthy enough to have a choice.

If you are considering a midwife, there are different types, depending on the training they receive, the types of examinations they take and their certifications. For instance, a certified nurse midwife (CNM) has both a college-level nursing degree and a midwife certification, while a lay midwife is not certified or licensed, but has been trained through apprenticeship and/or self-study. Of course, it is imperative to check into the credentials of any health care provider you intend to use.

How do midwives differ from medical doctors?

• Midwives provide more natural individualized care, while doctors provide more routine therapeutic care
  
  
• Midwives will deliver a baby in a home, birthing center or hospital setting, while doctors typically deliver in a hospital setting only
  
  
• Midwives typically rely less upon medical intervention than doctors do. In a study conducted by Roger A. Rosenblatt, M.D. at the University of Washington, it was found that midwives had a lower rate of episiotomy and the use of labor-inducing drugs. Rosenblatt also noted that the cesarean rate for women attended by midwives was 8.8%, compared to 13.6% with obstetricians and 15.1% for family physicians.

Dr. Rosenblatt told the NY Times, "Nurse-midwives establish a relationship with their patients that lead to excellent outcomes with less use of medical resources. We physicians have something to learn from midwives about the approach to low-risk women."