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Click Here For Our Certified Midwives
A certified nurse midwife (CNM) is a professional health care provider who is a registered nurse that has graduated from one of the advanced programs accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM). They also must pass a national certification examination and meet strict requirements set by State Health Agencies.
Nurse-midwives work in various setting from hospitals, clinics or birthing centers. Many work in private practices with physicians or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). Although some states allow midwives to assist with births from patients homes, most midwives attend births in hospitals and birth centers. Nurse-midwives provide prenatal, postpartum, normal newborn care and routine gynecological care. Midwives are well known primarily for how well they help women during labor and delivery and how they prepare the patient for this time in their lives. Throughout a woman's life, midwives teach and answer questions about personal hygiene, proper diets, sleep, exercise and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They also provide preconception counseling, family planning services, gynecological care, pap tests, annual pelvic examinations, breast exams, screenings and treatment for infections, as well as care for older women with hormone replacement therapy.
- During Pregnancy: the CNM regularly monitors the health of you and your baby.
- During Labor: the CNM monitors your birthing progress and is there to offer emotional support. The CNM listens to your needs and encourages your family to take a more involved participation with the birth.
- Follow-up Care: this begins immediately following the birth. The CNM examines the newborn and gives the new Mother coaching advise on breast feeding and infant care. The CNM also ensures that the new Mother maintains her health after the childbirth.
- All CNM's consults with physicians if there is a problem that arises that may put a patient or baby at risk. These supervising physicians would then immediately take over care is either is at risk.
- CNM's can prescribe medications and vitamins to their patients.
- CNM care is covered by private insurance carriers, Medicaid, Medicare, and managed care programs. CNM services are also covered under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS-Tricare) and Federal Employees Health Benefit Plans (FEHBP).
Nurse-midwives offer women special skills and an understanding of their unique physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Their care focuses on maintaining health and encourages women to make decisions about their health and their individual birthing plans. CNM's welcome patient and family questions and concerns and take time to listen to you and talk with you. Numerous studies have shown that women who are cared for by a nurse-midwife can expect the same level of safety and professionalism as they can from a physician.
Today there are more than 7,000 certified nurse-midwives who provide a wide range of health care services to women and newborns.
For more information on CNMs visit www.midwife.org |
