by Alison Jolicoeur
December 21, 2010

The Midwifery Modernization Act was passed over the summer, an enormous victory for midwives throughout New York state.  Previously, midwives were required to obtain a written practice agreement (WPA) from an obstetrician in order to practice legally.  Under the new law, midwives are able to practice independently and no longer need a WPA.

While home births account for less than 1% of the births in this country, the Netherlands has a home-birth rate of 30% - the highest in the Western world. A study of nearly 530,000 women in the Netherlands, over seven years, published in 2009 by  BJOG: An International Journal Of Obstetrics And Gynecology, found home births attended by certified midwives to be just as safe for low-risk mothers and babies as births attended by a midwife in a hospital.

This contradicts the report in American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology last September which claimed that home births have a higher rate of neonatal mortality.  The AGOJ report has critics, including Michael C. Klein, MD, professor at the University of British Columbia and senior scientist at The Child and Family Research Institute.  In a report by The Big Push For Midwives, he states, "The conclusion that this study somehow confirms an increased risk for home birth is pure fiction," and that the study's publication has "more to do with politics than with science." Critics agree that the study contradicts a large body of research that claims home births attended by midwives are in fact quite safe.

While physician groups fought hard to oppose the bill in NY and a similar bill in Massachusetts that has yet to come to vote, Susan M. Jenkins, Legal Counsel for The Big Push for Midwives Campaign states, “Clearly the intent is to fuel fear-based myths about the safety of professional midwifery care in out-of-hospital settings. Their ultimate goal is obviously to defeat legislation that would both increase access to out-of-hospital maternity care for women and their families and increase competition for obstetricians.”

In spite of opposition, midwives in New York can claim victory with the passage of The Midwifery Modernization Act. This proves support for Certified Professional Midwives is growing, and that women are fighting for their right to choose where they would like to give birth - and with whom.

 

http://www.thebigpushformidwives.org/_ccLib/downloads/7-7-2010_PushNews_RELEASE_OB-GYN_Journal_Fast_Tracks_Publicity_on_Deeply_Flawed_Study.pdf