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| |  Nurse-Midwife Approach Offers Significant Advantages for Women WASHINGTON, April 18 , 1997 -- A new study from the University of Washington of more than 1,300 low-risk pregnant women, published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health, concludes that the patients of certified nurse-midwives are likely to endure fewer obstetrical interventions than patients cared for by obstetrician-gynecologists and family practice physicians. A random sample of the records of low-risk patients in Washington State who received care from certified nurse-midwives, obstetrician-gynecologists and family physicians revealed that nurse-midwives were less likely to use continuous fetal monitoring, induce or augment labor, utilize epidurals and perform episiotomies. The patients of nurse-midwives also had cesarean section rates of only 8.8 percent compared to 13.6 percent for obstetricians and 15.1 percent for family physicians. As a result, nurse-midwives used 12.2 percent fewer resources than their physician colleagues. "We have always known that women want nurse-midwives because we provide safe care in a caring environment. Now, the health insurance industry knows that nurse-midwifery care has added value. In addition, more women will know that these often painful and disruptive interventions are only used by nurse-midwives when they are absolutely necessary," said the American College of Nurse-Midwives' President Joyce Roberts, CNM, Ph.D., FAAN, FACNM. The findings of this study validate the conclusions of numerous other studies over the years that have documented the safety and effectiveness of nurse-midwifery care. This study is important because it compares patients of equal risk who receive care from nurse-midwives and physicians. "Taken in its totality, this body of knowledge suggests that the approach to low-risk obstetrics as used in the real world by midwives has significant advantages for patients," wrote Roger A. Rosenblatt, MD, MPH, the study's principal investigator. Dr. Rosenblatt is a professor and vice chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, and adjunct professor in the Department of Health Services in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine. He recently received a Primary Care Achievement Award in Research from the Center of the Health Professions at the University of California, San Francisco for his work on this study. Certified nurse-midwives are licensed health care practitioners educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery. They provide health care to women including: preconception counseling, care during pregnancy and childbirth, normal gynecological services, assistance with family planning decisions, health maintenance and disease prevention and care of the menopausal woman. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 1994, nurse-midwives attended the births of more than 200,000 babies. To help meet the growing demand for nurse-midwifery care, women can call a toll-free number, 1-888-MIDWIFE (888-643-9433) to locate a nurse-midwife in their area. The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) is the professional organization that represents more than 6,000 CNMs in the U.S. The ACNM's mission is to develop and support the profession of nurse-midwifery in order to promote the health and well-being of women and infants within their families and communities.
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