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Certified nurse-midwives are nurse practitioners who have received training and education in obstetrics as well as women’s health. They can prescribe medicine, order labs, and generally provide the same level of pregnancy care as obstetricians in normal pregnancies.
Nurse-midwives, however, focus on relationships, individual attention, and your choices as the mother. If you choose the care of a nurse-midwife, you can expect longer visits, a compassionate atmosphere, and all the safety of delivering in a hospital.
This approach results in an amazing success rate, even with a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Many women are told after a first cesarean that future deliveries will likely be cesarean as well. At St. Luke’s, VBAC mothers have all been successful with one exception in which a cesarean was deemed safer. And in that case, the transition was easy, since the mother was already in the hospital where a supporting physician is always available.
Every woman can benefit from working with a certified nurse-midwife, and not just for pregnancy and delivery. You can get help with annual exams, wellness management, plus treatment for minor to moderate illnesses and health concerns.