Midwives can play key role in aiding America's maternal mortality crisis

[Warpy]

5. That's certainly a step in the right direction

Medicalizing normal childbirth and insisting it takes place in a hospital serves few well, especially women in non urban areas where few people have health insurance. Hospitals and stand alone birthing centers are generally far away, so meticulous prenatal care is essential to pick up complications early and avoid having to call for a helicopter to rush a laboring woman in crisis to a hospital.

The midwives I knew did the apprenticeships. They were long on science and short on religion, so their care was superb. I admit I was skeptical of the whole hippie home birth movement until I met them. Then I wasn't skeptical any more.

So yes, bring on the certified lay midwives. They won't replace birthing centers and hospitals for women who need a higher standard of care, but they will be the first line in identifying such women and keeping them safer.