Who is a midwife?
Midwives have expertise in obstetrics and gynecology services such as pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. They train to help women deliver babies at hospitals and birthing centers. While they are not medical doctors, they usually work alongside gynecologists and obstetricians to provide the necessary care. They typically work with healthy women having low-risk pregnancies or mild complications requiring little medical intervention.
A graduate degree is a prerequisite for most midwifery education programs. Some institutions accept registered nurses (RNs) without a bachelor's degree. These institutions usually require aspirants to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) bridge program before starting the midwifery program. Some midwives go on to earn doctorates in nursing practice. The Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) offers around 38 accredited programs nationwide.
Types of midwives
A midwife is qualified to provide primary care, reproductive care, routine gynecological exams, and counseling on contraception. The services offered by a midwife depends on their certifications, credentials, and where they practice. Midwives who are not certified will provide fewer services and be limited in where they can practice. Midwives are categorized based on their levels of training and certification. They include:
- Certified nurse midwives (CNMs): These professionals complete nursing school and a graduate degree in midwifery. They can diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, and order lab tests. CNMs can practice in birth centers, hospitals, and homes. They obtain certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board and are eligible to work in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Certified midwives (CMs): Along with a master's degree in midwifery, they have a non-nursing undergraduate degree. Certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board, they are qualified to prescribe medications. CMs can practice only in a few states.
- Certified professional midwives (CPMs): They work in birth centers or homes, obtain certification from the North American Registry of Midwives, and can practice only in some states. They cannot prescribe medications.
- Unlicensed midwives: Also known as lay midwives, they are usually self-taught. Some may have received other kinds of training or completed an apprenticeship. They are not certified or licensed and typically work only in homes.
How to choose between a doctor, a doula, or a midwife?
While all three options could bring your little one into the world, the choice is yours. Here are some of the key differences between a doctor, a doula, and a midwife:
Doctor: The doctor women see for monitoring their pregnancies and delivering their babies is an obstetrician or an obstetrician-gynecologist. An OB-GYN is a medical doctor with years of specialized training to provide prenatal care and deliver babies. You can expect the OB-GYN to oversee all medical aspects of your pregnancy. The obstetrician will manage your care with a support team that may include other doctors, nurses, and midwives. Some of their duties include:
- Tracking vitals of the mother and the baby regularly
- Managing symptoms like morning sickness
- Prescribing medications and keeping an eye on the ones you already take
- Conducting routine ultrasounds and lab tests to ensure the baby is healthy. Some tests may also help screen for congenital disabilities and genetic disorders.
- Assist in delivering the baby in the hospital.
Doula: "Doula" is derived from a Greek word for "a woman that serves." A doula takes the nurturing role a family or community member generally takes during birth. The doula usually stays by your side, along with your doctor or a midwife, and provides physical and emotional support. A doula's presence can be a great link between you and your medical team as they help in the following ways:
- Keeping lines of communication open between you and the person assisting in delivery.
- Helping you with breathing patterns and positions
- Looking for ways to make you feel more comfortable through the process
- Helping choose from different birth options and creating a plan that works for you.
Midwife: Midwives bring a nurturing and emotionally-oriented approach to pregnancy and birth experiences. They often play the role of a primary caregiver and may practice in homes or hospitals, clinics, and birth centers. Like an obstetrician, a midwife helps in the following ways:
- Working with you and your family to look after your health and well-being during and post-pregnancy.
- Staying by your side throughout labor and delivery, not just the birth.
- Assist you in giving birth with less technology or even fewer medications.
- Referring you to a doctor if you require specialized medical attention at any point in time.
Education and the treatment approach differentiate a midwife from an OB-GYN. Midwives have a more natural approach, using non-traditional techniques during labor and delivery. But they cannot provide medical or surgical interventions. OB-GYNs are medical doctors who undergo years of training and specialization and can perform surgeries and handle high-risk pregnancies. Lastly, a doula supports you with the OB-GYN or midwife throughout the pregnancy and birth. Meeting with each provider can help create a support team that works for you.
Some reasons for choosing a midwife
Choosing between an OB-GYN or a home birth midwife near you is a personal choice that needs a lot of thought. People prefer midwives because of the lower chances of C-section births, induction, and assisted delivery. Other factors include reduced use of epidurals and a lower risk of severe perineal tears. With a midwife, you also get more flexibility for home births and greater control over your care.
Discussing your expectations and asking questions to the midwife before engaging with their services can help you make an informed decision. You can also find out about their years of experience as a midwife. Learn their views or philosophies about childbirth and see if they align with yours. Ask about the settings they are eligible to serve in. Often, people confuse midwives with doulas. Doulas are labor coaches who can assist and provide the physical and emotional support you need during labor and birth.
How to find a qualified midwife in Dallas?
Having an experienced midwife with you during your pregnancy—the crucial stage of life can make a difference. So, if you have been hesitating to look for a good home birth midwife near you in Dallas owing to the hassle involved, Zocdoc is just the solution you need.
Begin by creating a free account on the Zocdoc platform. Use the various filters to look for midwives matching your search criteria. You could use the filters of location, gender, and hospital or birth center. The convenient insurance detector lets you find an in-network midwife from hundreds of practitioners in our extensive database. Our advanced algorithm takes only a few minutes to achieve the desired results.
Once you have the list of professionals matching your criteria, click on individual profiles for detailed information. Know all about their experience, board certification, and educational qualifications. Besides, you can access our verified patient reviews and ratings to decide. Afterward, you can book a virtual appointment with the midwife before scheduling an in-person session.
Our easy booking process makes it a breeze to pick a slot based on the doctor's availability. You may also find a home birth midwife near you offering weekend appointments beyond typical office hours. All bookings made on Zocdoc are simple, free, and secure!
Statistics on midwives in the United States and Texas
A report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2022 shows that there were around 7,950 midwives employed across the country. Most of these, about 3,690, were engaged in physicians' offices. General medical and surgical hospitals were second in industries employing the most nurse midwives. With around 490 employed nurse midwives, Texas ranked fourth among states with the highest employment.
Statistics from the American College of Nurse-Midwives indicate that as of February 2019, there were around 12,218 CNMs and nearly 102 CMs. In 2017, the number of midwife-attended births was slightly higher than in 2016, with about 351,968 CNM or CM-attended deliveries.
Meanwhile, a 2022 Pew Research Center of statistics analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics indicates that home births rose to 45,646 in 2020 compared to 38,506 in 2019 in the US. This significant 19% annual increase hints at the possibility of greater demand for midwives nationwide. Similarly, the number of deliveries in birthing centers rose by nearly 9%, reaching 21,884 in 2020 from 20,043 in 2019.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic
WebMD[1]
Boston University
American College of Nurse-Midwives[1]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
American College of Nurse-Midwives[2]
Pew Research Center
WebMD[2]
