You are pregnant.  It’s time to start making decisions. Choosing a health care provider for you and your baby is one of the biggest decisions you will make. You have the choice of  choosing an obstetrician or midwife ( for low  risk pregnancies). You can receive care from a midwife either in private, from a comfortable birthing center or in your own home. Midwives are also a part of a labor and delivery team in a hospital.

Who is a midwife ?

A midwife is  a health care provider who offers a range of health care services including gynecological examinations, contraceptive counseling, prescriptions and labor and delivery. She also  provides expert care during labor and delivery  and after birth.

What services does the midwife provide ?

This depends on the certification and licensing credentials obtained by the midwife as well the practice restriction  of each state. These services include annual gynecological exams, family planning and preconception care, prenatal care, labor and delivery support, newborn care  and menopausal management. They also provide reproductive education in fertility, nutrition, exercise, pregnancy health, contraception, pregnancy health, breastfeeding and quality infant care.

Midwives also functions as  both a quality and economical option for birthing care.

What are the benefits of a midwife ?

Women usually chose midwives because they want a natural birth as much as possible. They also offer various payment  options such as payment plans, sliding scale fees and accept various insurance such as Medicaid. Some of the benefits include the following :

• decreased risk of a cesarean delivery
• decreased risk of having a premature baby
• reduced rates of labor induction and augmentation
• decreased risk of needing a regional anesthesia
• reduced infant mortality rate
• increased chances of having a positive start to breastfeeding
• decreased third and fourth degree perineal tear
• lower cost for both patient and insurers

What are the concerns of using a midwife ?

Complications can arise during delivery. The mother and baby may need medical intervention that is outside the scope of services offered by a midwife.

Midwives routinely consult perinatologists and other healthcare professionals  and can refer a patient to the appropriate  medical professional if complications arise.

It is usually recommended that women with high risk pregnancy choose a hospital setting with  a more  convenient access to healthcare professionals such as perinatologists who are trained to address pregnancy complications.
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