Myth: Midwives base their care on traditional practices dating back thousands of years.
Fact: Today's midwives are highly trained and certified. They are registered nurses with advanced education in midwifery. They are licensed to practice and to write prescriptions.
Myth: Midwives only participate in home births
Fact: Today, 95 percent of midwives practice in hospitals. Midwives are proud to be part of a team of health care providers who advocate for the best possible outcomes for patients when concerns or high-risk conditions arise. Midwives consult, collaborate or transfer care to the OB/FYN as needed.
Myth: A woman in labor will not have access to pain medication or epidurals if she uses a midwife.
Fact: Midwives are leading experts in utilizing different ways to help women cope with labor pain. When a woman is not coping well, she has every right to receive IV pain medications and/or epidurals. The goal is to have the best possible birth outcome while midwives guide her through bumps in the journey that may shift her path but lead her to the birth she hopes for.
Myth: Midwives only care for pregnant women.
Fact: Although midwives specialize in care of pregnant woman from preconception, prenatal care, labor, birth and postpartum, they are also trained to care for the woman from puberty to menopause.