What is a Midwife?
Derived from the old English term meaning “with woman,” a midwife provides expert knowledge and health care services to women in all stages of life from teen years to post-menopausal years. Focusing on each woman’s unique situation, a midwife partners with the patient, providing a personalized health care experience based on the individual’s unique needs and desires.
Though midwifery is long thought to be only related to labor and delivery, it is really just one aspect of the care provided. Midwives are highly educated and skilled at providing a variety of health needs including yearly gynecology exams, pregnancy planning, breastfeeding, and postpartum care.
The collaborative relationship between doctors and midwives is based on their common goal of improving patient care through preserving the normal aspects of birth while also providing rapid access to technology and advanced care when it’s needed. While the vast majority of births are healthy and normal, the midwife is prepared to recognize problems early and always has obstetric physician back-up available.