Meritus Health Midwives
Natural Childbirth Service in Maryland
You can have the best of both worlds at Meritus Medical Center’s Family Birthing Center: the physician expertise and technological support available in the hospital setting, along with the experience and support of a certified midwife.
Midwives have a long and rich tradition of helping women through childbirth. They provide physical and emotional support for each woman’s unique childbirth experience. For women who have a low risk of complication, using the services of a midwife can be an excellent choice.
Role of Midwives
At the core of the midwife philosophy is the view that the birth process is a normal, natural, healthy life event. Midwives are committed to providing compassionate, family-centered care that is culturally appropriate, respects the individual’s dignity, and encourages active participation in decision-making.
They provide pregnant women with comprehensive prenatal care, including referrals for appropriate testing. They manage the health care of mothers and newborns in the immediate postpartum period.
However, today’s midwives not only care for a woman through her pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum experiences, they offer more general gynecologic care. This includes:
- Annual physical exams
- Pap smears
- Breast exams
- Preventive care and cancer screening
- Management of common illnesses
- Menopause counseling and care
Your Partner through Pregnancy
Outcomes for midwife-assisted births are comparable to those for physician assisted low-risk births, making this a very safe option for natural childbirth. Meritus Medical Center’s midwives are certified nurse-midwives, meaning that they are both registered nurses and graduates of an accredited midwifery education program. In addition, collaborating physicians for the midwife provide consultation and assistance if needed, giving families the reassurance of comprehensive collaborative care.
For more than twenty-five years, CNM's have been part of the hospital's tradition of quality care for the women of this community.
