What is Citizens for Midwifery?
Citizens for Midwifery is a non-profit, volunteer, grassroots organization. Founded
by several mothers in 1996, it is the only national consumer-based group promoting
the Midwives Model of Care.
A grassroots organization means a large number of people implementing a coordinated
strategy to achieve change. The goal of Citizens for Midwifery is to see that the
Midwives Model of Care is available to all childbearing women and universally recognized
as the best kind of care for pregnancy and birth. Citizens for Midwifery also endorses
the Mother-Friendly
Childbirth Initiative™.
If you are interested in maternity care that is ...
- Safe
- Respectful
- Family Centered
- Health Promoting
- Cost Effective
Then Citizens for Midwifery (CfM) has information and resources you need!
The Key is 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.
Core Values
Citizens for Midwifery has outlined our most basic core
values relating to both maternity care and to the role of Citizens for
Midwifery in efforts to improve maternity care.
Core Values About Maternity Care
- Pregnancy and childbirth are normal, healthy processes.
- Access to midwives and the Midwives Model of Care is vital
to normal childbirth.
- The Midwives Model of Care outlines a type of care and is
not limited to the education or any specific category of provider.
- Respect is at the core of the Midwives Model of Care. Every
woman should be treated with respect in every phase of her care from pregnancy
through postpartum. Respect includes, but is not limited to complete
information about tests, treatments, and procedures, fully informed consent,
preservation of privacy, and polite respectful communications by all involved
with her care.
- Pregnancy and childbirth effect the physical, mental, and
psycho-social well-being of mothers, babies, and families, therefore maternity
care should not only avoid harm, but also provide benefits to them.
- Maternity care should be grounded in evidence, and care
providers should be accountable to the mother and family for the mental and
physical outcomes resulting from their actions or inactions.
- Clinical decisions in maternity care should be focused on
promoting the overall health and well-being of the mother-baby dyad; these
decisions should never be influenced or determined by economic considerations
or legal fears.
- The use of practices, medications, and medical procedures
should be based on the needs of each individual woman, her baby, and the
circumstances of her pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum experiences with
her full understanding and consent and based on the best evidence available.
Routine protocols not based on research evidence should be avoided.
- Maternity care is an important aspect of health care in the
United States and must be included in all discussions of health care policy.
- The quality and cost of maternity care and its outcomes
directly or indirectly affect every US citizen.
Core Values of Citizens for Midwifery
- Citizens have a right to be involved in maternity care
policy, and CfM is a powerful voice for consumers.
- CfM works to improve access to the Midwives Model of Care in
all settings for women of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, races, religions,
sexual orientations, abilities, and socioeconomic circumstances.
- Coalition-building, communications, and networking with
other organizations are essential for achieving our vision.
- The education, credentialing, regulation, and licensing of
midwives are of critical concern to consumers, because they determine whether
or not childbearing women will be able to get the kind of midwifery care they
want and need.
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.
Copyright © 1996-2008, Midwifery Task Force
All Rights Reserved
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