Midwife-attended Birth

Myth: An obststrician provides the best maternity care for mothers and babies.

Reality: "Analysis of national perinatal statistics from Holland, 1986, demonstrates that for all births after 32 weeks' gestation mortality is much lower under the non-interventionist care of midwives than under the interventionist management of obstetricians at all levels of predicted risk. The finding confirms...the conclusions of all earlier impartial analyses from...other countries."
--Tew and Damstra-Wigmenga 1991

In Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, which have lower perinatal mortality rates than any other country in Europe or North America, over 70% of births have a midwife as the only attendant.
"Routine obstetric management does not produce benefits and may increase risks." (Goer)
"Intervention rates depend on philosophy of practice, not medical risk." (Goer)
"One reason midwives have lower intervention and cesarean rates is [that] their clients have fewer epidurals." (Goer)
"Midwifery reduces intervention rates, but how much and which ones varies widely." (Goer)
"When obstetricians control policies and protocols, midwives' intervention rates tend to go up. Conversely, intervention rates are lower where midwives operate independently." (Goer)
"Midwives are the best experts on normal birth." (Wagner)
"Midwifery can and should be an autonomous profession." (Goer)

References