You have the choice of who will be your prenatal care provider. They will be the person who will oversee your care during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and after you have your baby (the time after you have a baby is called postpartum). You’ll want to be sure that the person you choose is well-qualified, listens to you, and respects you. Your provider should be willing and able to give you the information and support you need to make informed decisions about your health, pregnancy, baby, and delivery. A midwife may be a great choice for you!

What is a midwife?

A midwife is a healthcare professional who works in partnership with women and families to provide care during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the postpartum period.

There are different types of midwives with different certifications and education. Depending on their training and credentials, midwives can deliver babies in hospitals, birth centers, or at home.

Who should seek care from a midwife?

Midwives specialize in the care of healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies. If your pregnancy becomes more complicated, they can still be a part of the care team. Women with health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart conditions, etc, are not good candidates to have births outside the hospital. But, your midwife can still work with you and other healthcare providers or specialists throughout your pregnancy and a hospital delivery.

Midwives don’t do surgery, like C-sections, but they often assist OB/GYNs when their patients need a C-section.

Types of training and credentials for midwives

  • A certified nurse-midwife first receives training as a registered nurse. Then, they get additional training in midwifery (managing pregnancy, delivery, postpartum, and newborn care) to become a nurse-midwife. Most certified nurse-midwives deliver babies in the hospital, but some deliver at birth centers or at home. In Utah, they must pass certification exams and follow the steps to maintain a license.
  • Direct-entry midwives enter their midwifery education without studying nursing first. Direct-entry midwives deliver babies in birth centers and in homes, not in hospitals. There are two types in Utah: licensed and unlicensed.
  • Licensed direct-entry midwives (LDEMs) must receive the national Certified Professional Midwife credential. These types of midwives can use certain prescription medications in their practice to help stop bleeding, control pain, or give medications to your baby once they’re born (like vitamin K). They must follow rules set up by the state to maintain a license.
  • Unlicensed direct-entry midwives (UDEMs) may choose among several routes to complete their training. They cannot use prescription medications in their practice and do not have to follow rules set up by the state.
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What kind of midwife should you use?

Your pregnancy and birth are very important life events for you and your family. Choosing the right healthcare provider and birth location is an important decision that every woman and family has the right to choose.

Here are some questions to ask yourself if you’re thinking of getting care from a midwife. These questions can help you know if a midwife is the best choice (and which type of midwife), or if you might want to see a different type of healthcare provider during your pregnancy

  • Where do you want to have your baby? Hospital? Birth center? Home? Make sure the midwife you choose can deliver your baby there.
  • What kind of pain relief do you want during labor and delivery? This can include things like an epidural, nitrous oxide, waterbirth, and other techniques that do or don’t involve medications. Some options are only available in a hospital or birth center, some only in a birth center or at home. Choose a midwife who can offer the options you want.
  • How important to you are movement in labor and position for delivery? Talk to midwives about your ideal movement and positions during labor and
    delivery. Find one who supports your preferences.
  • What approach to health concerns do you prefer? This can include if you prefer medical treatments, more holistic approaches, or a mixture of both. Find a good match with your midwife.

Questions to ask midwives:

If you’re interested in receiving care from a midwife, you should ask them questions and use their answers to help guide your choice.

  • What is your philosophy of care?
  • How were you trained?
  • How long have you been a midwife, and how many babies have you delivered as the primary midwife?
  • Where do you attend births (hospital, birth center, home)?
  • Do you work alone, or as part of a team? Who will be at my birth if you are unavailable?
  • What are the conditions for which I would need to transfer out of your care? What risk factors do you see in my medical history? To whom would my care be transferred? How would transfer occur? (This includes if you have planned to birth at a birth center or home and need to be transferred to a hospital.)

 

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