Midwife Connection

A New Direction for Midwife Connection

2011-03-29T16:24:00.004-04:00

by Cassie Moore, ACNM Writer and Editor We hope you’ve seen our fabulous new Web site—and hope you love it as much as we do! We’re also taking this blog to the next level, and we need your help. First, we’re moving the blog from Blogger to the new Web site. To find it from midwife.org, go to “News and Events,” then select “ACNM Blog.”Content Hand-Picked for You Previously, Midwife Connection was

ACOG Committee Opinion on Planned Home Birth: Opening the Door to Collaborative Care

2011-02-03T15:43:00.004-05:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Communications ManagerJust this morning, ACNM released an Issue Brief in response to the ACOG Committee Opinion on Planned Home Birth published in the February 2011 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.At just over two pages, the Issue Brief is worth the read. While acknowledging that much of the ACOG Committee Opinion relies on a widely-criticized, flawed 2010 meta-analysis,

“Except When Medically Necessary” : Making informed choices about induction of labor

2011-01-28T10:16:00.002-05:00

by Amy Romano, CNMThis post was originally published on Science and Sensibility for Lamaze International.It’s not hard for women to find advice and recommendations to avoid induction of labor “except when medically necessary.” But what do those words mean and who decides when an induction is medically necessary? Lamaze’s Healthy Birth Practice Paper cites ACOG Guidelines that define medical

Protect Yourself from the Flu Season Peak

2011-01-21T15:50:00.003-05:00

Did you know that flu season normally peaks in February or even March? If you’re a midwife, make sure your patients know that it’s not too late to get a flu shot. And whether you’re a health care professional or not, the CDC offers free materials to help you make informed decisions about how to best protect yourself this season.Flu Shot Factsheet for Pregnant WomenPosters to promote flu

The Disease That Every Woman Who Has Ever Had Sex with Anyone Needs to Know About

2011-01-11T12:18:00.003-05:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorDid you know that cervical cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer death for women? Unlike breast cancer, cervical cancer is preventable. The cause is a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV), which can be detected and prevented from developing into cancer. Not all types of HPV lead to cancer, but we now know which types are responsible for up to 70%

Improving Conditions for Women Who Want to Birth at Home

2011-01-04T16:48:00.002-05:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorThose of you who are tuned into ACNM on Facebook know that we promised to announce some exciting news this month about efforts to improve conditions for women who want to give birth at home. While ACNM supports a woman’s right to choose home birth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists remains opposed to home birth. So many stakeholders

Midwife Connection Goes on Vacation

2010-12-23T11:53:00.000-05:00

Midwife Connection is taking a holiday break. We will return to our regularly scheduled postings on January 4, 2011. Season’s Greetings and best wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year from your friends at the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Midwifery Care from the Client’s Perspective

2010-12-15T14:26:00.007-05:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorOur friends at Science and Sensibility have an interesting post that should be generating more discussion. The post explores certified nurse-midwife Mary Ellen Doherty’s study in the Journal of Perinatal Education called “Midwifery Care: Reflections of Midwifery Clients.”Doherty conducted her study to describe the experiences of women who chose midwives as

Hit the Holiday Sales at ShopACNM.com

2010-12-09T11:19:00.005-05:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorLooking for the perfect gift for that special student, midwife, or parent in your life? Visit ShopACNM.com for unique gifts that promote and support midwives.Now through December 15, all ACNM logo wear and ACNM and midwife branded products are marked down 15% for ACNM members. Log in with your ID and password; then enter promotional code HOL1 at checkout

Do You Really Know Kegels?

2010-12-07T09:45:00.004-05:00

by Alyce Adams, RN, BSN, "the Kegel Queen"Midwives are experts at applying low-tech, low-cost health care strategies that promote self-care and help women avoid the dangers of unnecessary interventions. Every midwife is familiar with the cesarean epidemic and with the safe, simple approaches that can keep birthing women out of the operating room.But many health care providers and consumers don't

When it Comes to HIV, Every Woman is at Risk

2010-12-01T10:12:00.003-05:00

by Jan Kriebs, CNM, MSN, FACNM, Assistant Professor and Director of Midwifery, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of MedicineToday is World AIDS Day – a reminder that HIV and AIDS are part of life for 33.3 million people around the world. Women are 15.9 million of those infected.I have worked with woman who are pregnant and HIV-positive

10 Midwifery-friendly Ways to Spend Black Friday

2010-11-23T09:35:00.005-05:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorMake Black Friday 2010 count by doing more than bargain hunting at o’-dark-thirty. Use these tips to spend your time and money updating your professional skills and making a difference for midwives.1. Connect with other midwives and midwifery supporters via Facebook (both the ACNM page and the ACNM Student Midwives group) and on Twitter (@acnmmidwives and

How Insurers are Still Pulling Maternity Coverage from Pregnant Women’s Plans

2010-11-18T10:04:00.002-05:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorAs of 2014, maternity care coverage in the United States will take a step up. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, health insurance plans will no longer be able to turn away applicants based on the “preexisting condition” of pregnancy. Maternity care coverage will also be mandatory for individual and small-group insurance plans as

Rigging the Election: When it comes to elective induction, are women asking for it?

2010-11-16T12:44:00.001-05:00

by Amy Romano, CNMThis post was originally published on Science and Sensibility for Lamaze International.There is a growing movement, backed up by evidence, practice guidelines, and efforts by agencies including the March of Dimes, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the Joint Commission, to reduce elective inductions, especially those occurring before 39 completed weeks of gestation.

The Truth About Omega-3s During Pregnancy

2010-11-11T09:49:00.003-05:00

by Robin Jordan, CNM, PhDWhat pregnant woman wouldn’t want to grow a smart baby, one that has every last genetically programmed fully functioning brain cell, is ahead of the preschool pack, becomes the straight-A class president, and attends an Ivy League university?That might be a stretch. But research indicates that women who eat adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids—specifically DHA and EPA

Evidence-based Policies Needed in Prison Populations

2010-11-09T13:23:00.003-05:00

by Donna Jackson-Köhlin, CNMOne reality of midwifery practice in these times is that all of us will—if we haven’t already—care for women who are affected by the criminal justice system, whether they are incarcerated themselves, or the child, parent, or partner of someone who has been in the U.S. prison system. Thanks to the relationship between the community health centers where I practice with

The Facts About Late Prematurity

2010-11-04T13:44:00.005-04:00

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorDid you know that November is Prematurity Awareness Month? More than half a million babies are born prematurely in the United States each year. More than 70% of those half a million premature babies—which translates to more than 350,000—are born late preterm, between 34 and 36 weeks gestation.Often, late-preterm births occur as a result of pregnancy

Empowering Incarcerated Women during Pregnancy, Birth, and Motherhood

2010-11-02T10:20:00.005-04:00

by Cheryl Hanna-Truscott, CNM