6 Myths About Certified Nurse-Midwives

Midwives are an essential part of the St. Elizabeth Physicians Women’s Health team and The Family Birth Place community. National Midwifery Week is September 30 through October 6, 2018, and at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, we know that our certified nurse-midwives make a difference each and every day.

Certified Nurse-Midwives: The Myths

Below are a few of the most frequently heard myths about certified nurse-midwives. Take a look and see firsthand how our certified nurse-midwives offer a unique and comprehensive range of services to the women in the Northern Kentucky community.

1. Myth: Midwives only perform home births.
   The certified nurse-midwives at St. Elizabeth only provide labor and delivery care in a hospital setting. Certified nurse midwives strive to give the mother as much control as possible during the delivery; however, this must be in a hospital setting where remote fetal monitoring is available. The Family Birth Place at St. Elizabeth is a wonderful place to welcome your sweet little one into the world.
2. Myth: Midwives don’t require extra training or certifications.
   All certified nurse-midwives are advanced practice registered nurses. This means they have completed nursing school and became a registered nurse before obtaining their graduate degree from an accredited midwifery education program. At St. Elizabeth, our certified nurse midwives have their nursing degrees and a Master of Science degree with a specialization in Nurse Midwifery. The American Midwifery Certification Board also holds our midwives to national standards and requires continuing education courses just like their physician counterparts.
3. Myth: Midwives won’t ask for assistance from physicians.
   At St. Elizabeth, this couldn’t be further from the truth! Our certified nurse midwives and physicians work as a collaborative team. Just like OB-GYNs, certified nurse-midwives know that pregnancies and deliveries don’t always go smoothly. We work together to provide a safe environment for our mothers and babies at The Family Birth Place.
4. Myth: Midwives can only care for low-risk pregnancies.
   Certified nurse-midwives work closely with their St. Elizabeth OB-GYN colleagues during a patient’s high-risk pregnancy or delivery. Research has shown that a mother does best when they receive care in a setting with access to certified nurse-midwives, OB-GYNs and maternal-fetal medicine specialists. Our team works collaboratively to provide the highest level of care to both mother and baby, no matter if the patient is low risk or high risk.
5. Myth: Midwives only deliver babies.
   The certified nurse-midwives at St. Elizabeth are your partners before, during and after childbirth. The midwifery team performs annual well-woman exams, as well as patient education appointments and reproductive care.
6. Myth: Midwives don’t let their patients have medicine during delivery.
   At The Family Birth Place, we know that it’s great to go into delivery with a plan – but also the knowledge that the plan can change in an instant. Our certified nurse-midwives encourage and support a natural birth plan and are specially trained to intervene only when necessary. However, using a midwife doesn’t mean a patient is locked into a drug-free childbirth – that call is completely up to the mother and they can request an epidural at any time.

St. Elizabeth Midwifery: A Great Option for Women’s Health

To learn more about the certified nurse-midwives at St. Elizabeth or to schedule an appointment, please call (800) 737-7900.