Who is a midwife?
Midwives specialize in pregnancy, childbirth, newborn care, and postpartum health. Some midwives offer routine reproductive care such as pap testing, pelvic exams, and birth control counseling. Midwives are more holistic and supportive of natural methods of pregnancy and birth. People usually pick a midwife when they want a non-medicated birth or want to deliver their baby at home.
Midwives are not typically doctors. However, some may earn doctorates in nursing practice. In a hospital, they often work with obstetricians and gynecologists (OB-GYNs) to ensure you can access any care you require.
Women who choose midwives need less medical intervention and have had no difficulties during their pregnancy. Many doctors suggest hiring a midwife only under the direct supervision of a medical professional.
Education and training
Midwives may have different levels of education and training, such as:
- Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs): These registered nurses have completed an accredited nurse-midwifery education course and passed a national exam. They have authorization to practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Certified midwives (CMs): Non-nurse midwives hold a bachelor's or higher degree in health, have completed a recognized midwifery education program, and have successfully cleared a national exam. CMs are only allowed to practice in a few states.
- Certified professional midwives (CPMs): Non-nurse midwives who complete a national exam and have the training and practical experience in childbirth, including delivering babies outside the hospital, are called CPMs. They are not allowed to practice in all states.
- Lay midwives are not trained or licensed but have learned through apprenticeship or informal training.
How to choose between an OB-GYN and a midwife for pregnancy care?
An obstetrician-gynecologist, sometimes called an OBGYN, is a certified doctor specializing in pregnancy, childbirth, and the female reproductive system. An OB/GYN can track your and your baby's health during the pregnancy, deliver your baby, and provide post-natal care.
Choosing someone to trust with your pregnancy and child's birth is a very personal decision. Your goals, choices, health, and safety should all be priorities. Here are a few things to consider as you look into the possibilities.
- Is your pregnancy high-risk?
If your pregnancy is high-risk or complicated, you should consult an OB-GYN who can coordinate care with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist specializing in high-risk pregnancies. Remember that midwives exclusively assist with low-risk pregnancies and births.
You may be considered high risk if you have pre-existing medical diseases, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Your pregnancy may be deemed high-risk and complicated if you may deliver twins, triplets, or other multiples.
If you are low-risk and considering a home delivery or a freestanding birth center, a midwife is likely at the top of your list of care providers.
A majority of deliveries take place in birth centers or hospitals where both OB-GYNs and midwives are capable of delivering babies. Hospitals are always the safest places to give birth.
However, most OB-GYNs and midwives only deliver at one or two select facilities. As a result, when deciding between a midwife and an OB-GYN, you may also select a hospital for delivery.
- How do you want to deliver the baby?
If you're considering a water birth or hypnobirthing, you should look into an experienced midwife. Regardless of risk, an OB-GYN may be the best choice if you think you would be more comfortable with a healthcare professional providing medical services.
Finding an OB-GYN or midwife near you who delivers at a hospital is essential if you want a wide range of labor and pain treatment options so you can have flexibility on the day of the delivery.
- What type of ongoing care do you want?
OB-GYNs and midwives can provide continuing reproductive health care. So, consider whether you want to see someone for years (and possibly future pregnancies). Consider the aspects and areas of expertise crucial to you, including preventive care and fertility.
Selecting a provider you trust and feel comfortable with is critical regardless of who handles your delivery needs.
Tips for a healthy pregnancy
Various things that can help you have a healthy pregnancy include the following:
Eat about five or six balanced and healthy meals daily. Include folate- or folic acid-rich foods like fortified cereals, wheat germ, lentils, asparagus, and oranges in your daily meals. Folic acid is an essential mineral for a baby's development. It helps develop the baby's brain and spinal cord properly and creates new red blood cells.
During pregnancy, the body needs essential vitamins and minerals like folate, calcium, and iron. Many doctors recommend taking prenatal vitamins regularly when you start trying to conceive. They help properly develop the baby's brain and spinal cord in the first month.
Physical activity or exercise is essential during pregnancy. It improves blood circulation, reduces stress, and improves mood. It also helps you get better sleep at night. Exercise can also lower the chances of pregnancy-related complications such as preeclampsia.
Walking, swimming, pilates, and yoga are the best physical activities during pregnancy. Aim to do about 30 minutes of exercise or physical activity daily. Moderate walks in shaded areas during the day are a good start. Consult your medic before beginning an activity routine.
- Stop consuming alcohol, tobacco, and other toxins
Consuming alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, congenital disorders, preterm birth, and various pregnancy complications. Also, you must avoid solvents like nail polish remover and paint thinners.
Inform your doctor about your smoking, drinking, and other toxic habits when planning for pregnancy. They can offer advice and support in quitting these habits.
During pregnancy, the blood supplies oxygen and essential nutrients to the baby via the placenta, carrying carbon dioxide and waste away. The blood volume increases by almost 50% to manage the extra activity. Therefore, drinking lots of water supports the additional activity in the body. Aim to drink more than 1 gallon or about 11 to 13 glasses of water daily. Drinking plenty of water also helps prevent hemorrhoids, constipation, swelling, headache, fatigue, and urinary tract infections.
How do you find a top-rated midwife near you in Phoenix?
Finding the best healthcare provider or someone to assist you with your delivery can be daunting. You may want to find well-experienced practitioners in your locality. With Zocdoc, all these tasks become extremely simple.
Register on the Zocdoc website or app and enter your requirements, including your locality, symptoms, insurance plan, and other specifications. Zocdoc will provide you with a list of the best midwives in Phoenix according to the search filters you used.
If you want to know your insurance plan, upload your insurance card picture to your Zocdoc account, and we will find and display information regarding your insurance plan (this facility is not available for vision or dental plans). You can also check out Zocdoc's patient help center for more information and solutions related to insurance.
Females may sometimes be hesitant to avail themselves of the services of a male practitioner. Thankfully, Zocdoc lets you specifically search for female practitioners.
Moreover, you can see their available time slots, educational qualifications, years of experience, and achievements. For reliability, check the ratings and reviews from patients who have used Zocdoc to book an appointment with the chosen midwife. These reviews are trustworthy since the platform always confirms them before posting. Afterward, you can safely make a physical or virtual appointment with a midwife near you.
Moreover, all bookings on Zocdoc are secure, easy, and completely free!
Statistics about midwives in the United States
The American College of Nurse-Midwives published a report in 2022 that discusses various statistics related to midwives in the United States. It reported that, according to the American Midwifery Certification Board, there were nearly 13,524 CNMs and CMs as of February 2022. CNMs are the majority of midwives in the United States.
CNMs/CMs attended nearly 372,991 births in 2019, a 10% increase over the previous year. In 2019, CNMs/CMs attended almost 92% of all midwife-attended deliveries and approximately 10.3% of all births in the United States.
In 2019, approximately 89% of CNM/CMs attended hospital births, almost 9% attended freestanding birth centers, and nearly 8% attended home births.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic
WebMD
HealthPartners
American College of Nurse-Midwives
The Mother Baby Center
Parents
