Health for Conception and During Pregnancy

What to Eat While Pregnant

Avoiding Miscarriage

Cord Blood Banking

Packing for the Delivery Room

Tips for the New Mom

Bringing Home Baby

Getting Baby to Sleep

Budgeting for Baby

Traveling with Baby

Dressing Your Newborn

Breastfeeding Myths

Finding a Safe Baby Crib

Soothing a Newborn

Losing Weight After Pregnancy

Midwives Are More Popular Than Ever

Nurse-midwives do more than deliver babies—they care for women throughout their lifetimes.

(NAPSA)—Given the latest statistics on expectant mothers, the popularity of midwives is expected to grow—and experts say that’s a good thing for both mothers and babies.

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) currently attend almost 10 percent of the births in the U.S., a number that has more than doubled since 1990. There are over 6,500 practicing nursemidwives in the U.S.

While midwives are probably best known for their care of women during pregnancy and childbirth, they serve women of all ages. More than 50 percent of their patients visit them for primary care services.

Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses who have successfully completed an accredited graduate education program and passed a national certification exam. They are licensed to practice and write prescriptions in all states.

There are many advantages to having a nurse-midwife as your care provider. Compared to obstetrician/gynecologists, research shows that CNMs can provide high-level quality care with comparable or better outcomes. Patients report high levels of satisfaction and lower costs due to fewer unnecessary, invasive and expensive technological interventions.

A recent report by the U.S. Congress found that “certified nurse-midwives are more adept than physicians at providing services that depend on communication with patients and preventative actions.” This model of preventative care and patient education is one reason women love their midwives.

“Women love the high quality and sensitivity of the care they receive from their midwives,” said American College of Nurse-Midwies Executive Director Lorrie Kline Kaplan. “That’s why women visit their midwives for gynecologic care, primary care, and family planning, as well as care during pregnancy and birth.”

CNMs focus on primary care issues such as family planning and the gynecological needs of women, pregnancy, the postpartum period and care of the newborn. Midwives practice in hospitals, birth centers, managed care organizations, private offices, clinics, and public health departments.

For more information, visit www.midwife.org, call (240) 485-1800 or e-mail info@acnm.org.