What’s A Midwife
The literal definition of midwifery is “with women.” Midwives are “with women” from puberty to menopause and beyond. A common misconception is that midwives provide care only to pregnant women. However this is untrue. Midwives can assist with concerns during puberty, contraceptive counseling, well woman exams, and premenopausal symptoms as well post-menopausal symptoms. While routinely midwives care for the low-risk patient population, the collaboration between the midwives and physicians at MacArthur Midwifery/OBGYN allows for midwives at our practice to provide and care for high-risk pregnancies as well as low-risk pregnancies. It allows for women to choose between natural childbirth or analgesia during labor, laboring in a bathtub or ambulating, delivering in stirrups or in various positions. Midwives can also first assist during cesarean sections so that if a patient requires a cesarean section, they are able to remain with them and help transition into this new plan.
There are different levels of midwives. Certified nurse midwives are registered nurses (who have completed an undergraduate program) and then furthered their education through a rigorous master’s or doctorate prepared program and then took the board exam to have the title of of certified nurse midwife (CNM). Certified professional midwives (CPMs) go through a training school and take an examination to become CPM. While the title “midwife” applies to both, CNM’s (like our midwives at MacArthur OBGYN) have more advanced training and are able to practice in the hospital setting.