Midwifery

Midwifery is the practice of caring for a pregnant woman and her newborn baby during the antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartal periods. Midwives provide evidence-based, person-centered care to women during one of the most important times of their lives. Midwives are experts in physiologic birth, assessing, monitoring and providing care to low-risk pregnant women instead of resorting to higher-risk interventions. Midwives work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, health departments, and private practices. Midwifery care leads to improved outcomes for women and their babies, including improved breastfeeding rates, lower rates of Cesarean birth, and fewer interventions during labor. Midwives also provide important education and support for women and their families before, during, and after pregnancy.