May 10, 2013 – The Every Mother Counts campaign has awarded The Birth Place birthing center and midwifery practice $63,000 in grant funds to provide prenatal care and education to low-income women in central Florida. Jennie Joseph, Executive Director of the Birth Place, was a delegate at the 2011 Summit and is a member of the HBCS Health Disparities and Equity action group. Read more: EMC Awards…
US Midwifery Organizations Meet to Find Common Ground
April 22, 2013 – An historic joint meeting of seven organizations directly responsible for education, regulation and professional associations for the three U.S. midwifery credentials — CPM, CNM and CM — was held April 19-21, 2013. Named the United States Midwifery Education, Regulation and Association (US MERA) Work Group, the objectives were to: 1) strengthen the foundation for organizations responsible for midwifery education, regulation and associations to work collaboratively to advance the midwifery profession in the U.S., and 2) grow together as leaders creating the future of midwifery in the U.S. Member organizations include: American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), Accreditation Council for Midwifery Education (ACME), American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB), Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC), North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), and National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM.) Many HBCS delegates were present at this meeting. Link to the Joint Statment
National Birth Study Results Published
January 30, 2013 – The American Association of Birth Centers conducted a study over 3 years (2007-2010) with 79 midwifery-led birth centers in 33 states participating. Findings were positive for the safety of birth center care and potential cost savings for maternity care. View the full results of The National Birth Center Study II, visit the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health web site: www.jmwh.org.
Midwives Make the Case for Normal Birth
June 05, 2012 – The United States’ three midwifery organizations—American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), and National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM)—have released a historic consensus statement. Supporting Healthy and Normal Physiologic Childbirth: A Consensus Statement by ACNM, MANA, and NACPM gives maternity care providers, policymakers, and women a succinct summary of the evidence for the benefits of normal physiologic childbirth. See the statement in full: ACNM, MANA, and NACPM.