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| There are two basic models of care in obstetrics today. Understanding their fundamental differences is part of making an educated choice about where you birth. The Midwifery Model of Care* 1. The Midwives Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes. As a pregnant woman you feel special and unique, but if someone ever approached you and said, "You are at risk in your pregnancy and I don't believe you can be successfully pregnant without my direction and these procedures" you would think they were nuts! Just as with your pregnancy, when you strive to understand and educate yourself about your growing baby, doing the same for your labor and delivery (your birthing) is the natural conclusion to this healthy, educated process. If someone approached you and said, "Gee you are looking so healthy and pregnant, I'm here if you need me and I have a wealth of resources and knowledge at your disposal"--your confidence and pride as a mother would be boosted and you would likely really appreciate it! The Midwives Model of Care includes:
available to you with the care of an OB. This includes ultrasound if you would like one or if the midwife would like one. Nothing will be done to you or for you without your full understanding of that procedure or test and consent to it. This means you will spend time with your midwife learning about your own care and being the active leader of the care for your body and your baby, and she will be your guide and interpreter.
their own care, and that they are capable thinking women who can and should make decisions for themselves based on information and research they have read and discussed. Much of the prenatal care is devoted to this cause. Women and their partners are encouraged to take responsibility for their bodies and babies and the midwife helps provide the tools to make this possible.
about the health of a pregnancy or birth. She is acutely aware of the points in pregnancy and birthing that may or do require more than she has on her person. While she uses her tools such as a feto- scope or Doppler, blood pressure monitoring, and blood work, she will use additional technology only as necessary to maintain the health and safety of the mother and baby, and not superfluously. The Midwife is aware of the woman and baby as a whole being who require a holistic approach to their health care. She will work with you and never do to you. Yet she easily asks for help and refers mothers and babies who need special care to Physicians and others in the medical community she has created relationships with and whom she trusts.
Obstetricians play a valued and critical role in Midwifery care in Seattle. Relationships between Midwives and Doctors vary greatly from person to person and when interviewing Midwives, this is an important question to ask. The State of Washington has rules about who a Midwife can and can not care for, and your Midwife will refer you out to an Obstetrician if she can not provide care for your high risk pregnancy. If this happens, ask for a provider who can deliver you at Group Health Capitol Hill or Highline Hospital in Burien. Both hospitals are full of nurses who understand a mother who wants to participate in her birthing experience and make it her own. The application of this woman-centered model of care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section. The (U.S.) National Birth Center Study of nearly 12,000 women receiving care in 84 out-of-hospital birth centers, is the largest and most complete source of information about this type of care. As with many smaller studies, the national study found that the birth center group experienced low rates of invasive procedures and restrictions, when compared to similar women in hospitals. One woman in six transferred to hospital care after beginning labor, but just one woman in 42 transferred to hospital care under emergency circumstances. No mothers died. When compared with large studies of low-risk women in hospitals, the birth center group: --was half as likely to have a cesarean section --had a similar rate of death of babies after 20 weeks of pregnancy or in the first four weeks after birth. Non-hospital birth center care compared to hospital-sponsored birth center care. (Rooks and colleagues 1989, 1992a, 1992b, 1992c; Fullerton and Severino 1992) |
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| *This definition (the parts of this page in bold) of the Midwives Model of Care comes from the Citizens for Midwifery Website. The explanation (parts of the page not in bold) was written by Jodilyn Owen. Permission to reprint with this explanation and links to both the CFM site and SeattleBirthNet included is granted. c.2005 |
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