Nurse-Midwife Services
Between 2005 and 2014 the number of babies delivered in hospitals by midwives rose more than 11%*. Metro OBGYN believes midwives do make a difference.
Midwives are nurses with advanced education and experience who offer services to women of all ages and in all stages of life. Their focus is on partnering with women to provide them with the education to make the right choice for their healthcare. Midwives focus not only on maternity care but also on the full range of women’s needs. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM’s) provide care from a young woman’s first period until after menopause. A midwife can see women for general healthcare services, annual gynecologic exams, family planning needs, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, care during teenage years, pregnancy, labor, birth, and finally, menopause.
At Metro OBGYN, if you choose to see a midwife for your prenatal care, you will also see a physician to assist with your needs. Dr. Jorge Sotolongo, and Dr. Ada Ortiz are experts in pregnancy and delivery, medical complications, and women's surgery. They believe it is important to have a close working relationship with their midwives. The doctors and midwives work together--as a team--to provide the best possible care for each patient. By working closely with OB/GYN’s, midwives can ensure that a physician is available if complications should arise.
Midwifery care does not use just one childbirth procedure or practice for all women. Your midwife will work with you to make sure you have the type of unique childbirth experience you imagined under the best possible conditions. The goal of your midwife is to work with you to ensure a safe and healthy labor and delivery for both you and your baby. It was once believed by many people that midwives only delivered at home. It was also thought that midwives did not believe in pain medication during labor and delivery. Both of these statements are false. Midwives believe that delivering a baby in a hospital setting, where immediate medical services are available, is a wise choice. Midwives are also experts in helping manage your labor and delivery pain through various pain relief methods. These options include relaxation techniques, movement, IV medications, and epidural anesthesia, among others. Your midwife will explain the different options to you and work with you to develop a birth plan that best fits your personal needs and desires.
Please review any of the educational materials listed below as you continue through your pregnancy.
*American College of Nurse-Midwives, Trends in CNM-CM-attended Births, www.midwife.org, March 201
Protein Requirements in Pregnancy
Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy
