Access to the Midwives Model of Care

At the core of the Midwives Model of Care is deep respect for the normalcy of birth and for the uniqueness of each childbearing woman and her family. This approach to maternity care promotes health and helps to prevent complications. Care providers who practice this model of care have excellent outcomes while providing safe, individualized care.

Access to the Midwives Model of Care is severely limited or nonexistent in many places due to state laws and regulations, hospital policies, economic structures, and misinformation that prevent or discourage qualified caregivers from providing this kind of care.

Citizens for Midwifery works to change those factors that restrict the availability of the Midwives Model of Care.

The Midwives Model of Care

The Midwives Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes.

The Midwives Model of Care includes:

• Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle
• Providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
• Minimizing technological interventions
• Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention

The application of this woman-centered model of care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.

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