Midwifery Services

All About Midwifery

• Certified nurse midwifery began in the U.S. in the 1920s. Since then, certified nurse midwives (CNMs) have contributed to reducing infant and maternal mortality, decreasing premature births and reducing the incidence of low birth weight babies.
• Since 1996, the number of midwife-attended births has increased 33%. In 2006, midwives attended 10.8% of vaginal births and 7.4% of all births in the U.S.
• CNMs provide comprehensive care to women before, during, and after births of their babies. CNMs work with women on all aspects of their gynecological and reproductive health, from annual exams and birth control counseling to education about perimenopause and menopause.
• CNMs can write prescriptions in all 50 states.
• Midwives that attend births at The Westerly Hospital are affiliated with the OB/GYN practice Women’s Health of Westerly which provides comprehensive women’s health care, including:

complete prenatal care, including preconception counseling
the full range of gynecologic services for women entering their reproductive years through menopause