Why choose a certified nurse midwife?

Like obstetrics and gynecology physicians, certified nurse midwives provide a full spectrum of pre-conceptual care for women, including family planning, as well as labor, delivery and postpartum care.

Women who are looking for added emotional support and education before, during and after delivery often choose a midwife because they want a women’s health professional who will take time to get to know them and learn about their preferences throughout the course of their pregnancy.

As a certified nurse midwife, I love making women feel comfortable and heard during labor and delivery. And I treasure the long-term relationships I develop with patients.

Midwives subscribe to a philosophy of care that includes supporting women’s self-determination and active participation by providing complete and accurate information to support their informed health-care decisions. We provide individualized methods of care supported by the best scientific evidence available.

During pregnancy, midwives care for women who are low-risk, while physicians care for both low- and high-risk pregnancies. Midwives attended 12.1% of all vaginal births and 9.1% of total births in 2017, according to the American College of Nurse Midwives.

In general, midwives focus on watchful waiting and reserve interventions and technology for existing or potential health problems. While many women who want to experience a natural birth prefer the care of midwives, pain management is not restricted when attended by a midwife. Rather, appropriate interventions are implemented as necessary and as desired by the patient and family.

The certified nurse midwives of Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida stay by your side and assist with delivery, whether it is vaginal or cesarean, providing support along the way.

And like all certified nurse midwives, we are trained to recognize problems that may occur during pregnancy and delivery. At Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida, the certified nurse midwives work closely with our practice physicians, who are promptly available in the event that their high-risk management is needed.

We also provide gynecologic care such as annual exams and family planning. Many people don’t realize that certified nurse midwives are graduate-level health-care professionals who provide care not only during pregnancy and birth but from adolescence to the end of life. In fact, all states license certified nurse midwives for independent practice with full prescriptive authority.

For more about certified nurse midwives, visit Discover Nurse Midwives.

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