Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) must graduate from an accredited education program and pass a rigorous certification exam. They are experts, held to the standards of practice set by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and by state licensing organizations.
Midwives specialize in women’s health. They are trained in primary and gynecologic care of women throughout her lifespan, prenatal, labor and birth care and care of the newborn baby. Midwives specialize care of the low-risk woman. Through education and health promotion, CNMs aim to prevent complications of pregnancy. They are, however, trained to recognize and manage emergencies, should they arise. All Nurse-Midwives collaborate an OB/GYN to discuss complications and organize the transfer clients should they become high-risk.
CNMs attend over 9% of the births in the United States. Data supports the quality care CNMs provide. According to a 1998 study comparing outcomes for births attended by CNMs and physicians, births attended by CNMs had:
- a 31% lower risk of delivering a low birth weight infant
- a 33% lower risk of neonatal mortality
- a 19% lower risk of infant mortality
*Source: MacDorman MF, Singh GK. Midwifery care, Social and Medical Risk Factors, and Birth Outcomes in the USA. J. Epidemiol Community Health, 1998: 52:310-317.
Your relationship with The Birth Center’s CNMs begins at your first visit. The first prenatal visit is one hour long and each subsequent visit is 30 minutes long. Each appointment is spent with the CNMs themselves, not the nurses, so you develop a trusting relationship with each of Nurse-Midwives who may be present at your birth. They spend the time getting to know each member of the family. As your birth approaches, The Birth Center will feel like home. The guarantee to have someone who believes that women know how to give birth and is familiar with you, your pregnancy, your family, and your baby is a tremendous benefit to the families who come here.
For more information about midwives, visit the following website:
http://www.mymidwife.org
The Birth Center provides pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum, and GYN services to women from adolescence through menopause. Pregnancy services include prenatal care, labor and birth services, education and exercise classes for those planning to deliver at TBC or a hospital. Schedule a free Information Session and Tour to learn more!