The Stillwater Chiropractor to see - Chiropractor Stillwater

The Growing Demand for Midwives

Midwife comforting a new mother and child.

Women today have options when it comes to their choice of maternity health care provider. The decision involves choosing the caregiver and the type of birth center and may have a lot to do with the type of pregnancy. Women with high-risk pregnancies or serious medical conditions generally choose a medical doctor in a hospital setting. However, 60-80% of all pregnant women are healthy enough to have a choice.

If you are considering a midwife, there are different types, depending on the training they receive, the types of examinations they take and their certifications. For instance, a certified nurse midwife (CNM) has both a college-level nursing degree and a midwife certification, while a lay midwife is not certified or licensed, but has been trained through apprenticeship and/or self-study. Of course, it is imperative to check into the credentials of any health care provider you intend to use.

How do midwives differ from medical doctors?
  • Midwives provide more natural individualized care, while doctors provide more routine therapeutic care

  • Midwives will deliver a baby in a home, birthing center or hospital setting, while doctors typically deliver in a hospital setting only

  • Midwives typically rely less upon medical intervention than doctors do. In a study conducted by Roger A. Rosenblatt, M.D. at the University of Washington, it was found that midwives had a lower rate of episiotomy and the use of labor-inducing drugs. Rosenblatt also noted that the cesarean rate for women attended by midwives was 8.8%, compared to 13.6% with obstetricians and 15.1% for family physicians.

Dr. Rosenblatt told the NY Times, "Nurse-midwives establish a relationship with their patients that lead to excellent outcomes with less use of medical resources. We physicians have something to learn from midwives about the approach to low-risk women."

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Dr. Corey Asks some important questions of interest to Stillwater residents - Chiropractor Stillwater Dr. Corey Asks...

What's the difference between sick care and health care?
Sick care is largely about relieving or suppressing symptoms. Health care is about improving performance. While sick care is about how you feel, health care is about how you function. Sick care is what you do to treat an obvious problem, and health care is what you do to avoid the problem and advance your well-being.
What's the purpose of a surgeon's mask?
When I ask most people in Stillwater this, most think it protects the patient from the doctor's germs. But it's so porous it does little to prevent the passage of germs. We chiropractors don't bother with masks.