You’ve come a long way, Baby.
In today’s world of high technology, you might think that midwives were a thing of the past. Not so; midwifery is still going strong.
Midwifery care is one of the oldest medical practices known to man. It is mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible as well as in the recorded history of the Egyptian Pharaohs. In antiquity, childbirth was the leading cause of death in women, and it was the skill of the midwife that ensured the survival of the clan. Because of such an important role, midwives held a place of significant standing and were rewarded both financially and socially for their important work.
Initially, midwives were primarily involved in the processes of childbirth, but the role has grown to providing personalized care to women of all ages—not just pregnant women. The extensive training of today’s midwives produces nurse-midwives who understand the distinctive physical and emotional needs of women.
Midwives appreciate that the family structure can affect a woman’s individual healthcare needs, and they take the time to ask questions and listen.
The 21st century midwife is a health care professional who provides care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labor and birth, and during the postpartum period. Midwives also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding.
A midwife’s training includes measures aimed at preventing health problems in pregnancy, the detection of abnormal conditions, the procurement of medical assistance when deemed necessary, and the execution of emergency measures in the absence of medical help.
In addition to providing care to women during pregnancy and birth, many midwives also provide:
- Primary care to women
- Well-woman care related to reproductive health
- Annual gynecological exams
- Family planning
- Menopausal care
While midwives are trained to identify and deal with anomalies as well as certain high risk situations, they are specialists in low-risk pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Obstetricians, in contrast, are specialists in illness related to childbearing and in surgery.
The two professions—midwifery and obstetrics—are complementary.
Midwives refer women to general practitioners or obstetricians when a pregnant woman requires care beyond the midwives’ area of expertise. These professions work together to provide care to childbearing women. Midwives are trained to handle certain more difficult deliveries, including breech births, twin births and births where the baby is in a posterior position, using non-invasive techniques.
For low risk births, compared with obstetricians, midwives offer lower maternity care cost, lower intervention rates, reduced mortality and morbidity as a result of fewer interventions, and fewer recovery complications.
For more information about midwives, read our article Really, What is a Midwife?
All About Women obstetricians and midwife specialists provide compassionate well-woman and pregnancy care for women and families like you in Gainesville, Lake City and surrounding areas.
