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'Alabama mothers deserve midwives'
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008 - 10:30 AM Updated: 11:34 AM
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The Eagle recently ran an announcement regarding a local nurse midwife who has delivered her 3,000th baby. It was a tiny article buried within the business section, but should have made front-page news.
Linda Karle has positively affected the outcomes of thousands of births during her career and should be given much praise. Unfortunately, in Alabama expectant mothers do not have equal access to midwives.
It is my understanding that to be eligible for midwifery care in Dothan, you must be a Medicaid recipient, eliminating patients with health insurance or private pay patients.
To explain better what Alabama mothers are missing from access to midwifery care, take a look at some of the benefits of using a midwife for normal low-risk pregnancies: individualized education, counseling and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, postpartum and breastfeeding support, referral of women who require obstetrical attention, and the monitoring of physical, psychological, and social well-being of mothers throughout the childbearing cycle.
The midwives’ model of care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.
The United Health Foundation ranks Alabama 47th for infant mortality in the American Health Ratings of 2006, which is a mortality rate of 8.8 per thousand. The CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) mortality rate is 1.7 per thousand.
In 2004, Alabama’s Cesarean section rate was 31.9 percent. The World Health Organization recommends a rate no greater than 15 percent. The CPM Cesarean rate is 3.7 percent. There is currently a proposed senate bill (SB 240) that would license certified professional midwives in Alabama.
Even if you don’t want or need the care of a midwife, please let your legislator know if you believe that Alabama mothers deserve the right to access to midwifery care. See alabamabirthcoalition.org for more information.
This is a deeply personal issue for my family and me because we sought the care of a midwife for the birth of our second child. Unfortunately our only options were to birth at home with an unlicensed midwife who had no relationship with local doctors and would risk being thrown in jail, or travel a great distance to have the birth we desired.
We chose to use the expert care of a professional midwife in Pensacola and had a wonderful experience.
Mrs. Margaret Charles Smith, famous Alabama midwife, delivered over 3500 babies and never lost a mother. Her life and works are being preserved in Alabama history archives in a documentary film called “Miss Margaret.” The premiere of this film will be shown at the Birmingham Museum of Art on May 4.
Shayne Slingluff
Dothan
Linda Karle has positively affected the outcomes of thousands of births during her career and should be given much praise. Unfortunately, in Alabama expectant mothers do not have equal access to midwives.
It is my understanding that to be eligible for midwifery care in Dothan, you must be a Medicaid recipient, eliminating patients with health insurance or private pay patients.
To explain better what Alabama mothers are missing from access to midwifery care, take a look at some of the benefits of using a midwife for normal low-risk pregnancies: individualized education, counseling and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, postpartum and breastfeeding support, referral of women who require obstetrical attention, and the monitoring of physical, psychological, and social well-being of mothers throughout the childbearing cycle.
The midwives’ model of care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.
The United Health Foundation ranks Alabama 47th for infant mortality in the American Health Ratings of 2006, which is a mortality rate of 8.8 per thousand. The CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) mortality rate is 1.7 per thousand.
In 2004, Alabama’s Cesarean section rate was 31.9 percent. The World Health Organization recommends a rate no greater than 15 percent. The CPM Cesarean rate is 3.7 percent. There is currently a proposed senate bill (SB 240) that would license certified professional midwives in Alabama.
Even if you don’t want or need the care of a midwife, please let your legislator know if you believe that Alabama mothers deserve the right to access to midwifery care. See alabamabirthcoalition.org for more information.
This is a deeply personal issue for my family and me because we sought the care of a midwife for the birth of our second child. Unfortunately our only options were to birth at home with an unlicensed midwife who had no relationship with local doctors and would risk being thrown in jail, or travel a great distance to have the birth we desired.
We chose to use the expert care of a professional midwife in Pensacola and had a wonderful experience.
Mrs. Margaret Charles Smith, famous Alabama midwife, delivered over 3500 babies and never lost a mother. Her life and works are being preserved in Alabama history archives in a documentary film called “Miss Margaret.” The premiere of this film will be shown at the Birmingham Museum of Art on May 4.
Shayne Slingluff
Dothan