“Midwife” literally means “with woman” and that definition leads into an explanation of their role in your health care. A nurse- midwife is a registered nurse who has experience in women’s health who then graduates from a master’s program with a degree focusing on the care of women throughout the life cycle. This includes annual GYN exams, evaluation and treatment of GYN problems, prenatal care and delivery of your baby. Nurse midwives are not doctors. They work with protocols which define the scope of their practice. They do not do surgery or vacuum/forceps assisted deliveries. If you choose to be delivered by a midwife then you should begin seeing one for your prenatal care. When you begin labor the nurse-midwife will be available by phone to talk with you and decide when it is time for you to go to the hospital. She will meet you there, evaluate you and together you will establish a plan of care. She will be observing your progress and how the baby is tolerating
labor. If she suspects a problem or has a concern she will notify the doctor who is on call. There is always a doctor from Roswell OBGYN on call along with a midwife. You will be kept informed of your progress and any concerns we have. If you are interested in an epidural, we will facilitate this as quickly as possible. If you prefer to have an unmedicated birth, we are there to support you. We care about how you envision your birth experience and are there to help you achieve your goal.
Everyone at Roswell OBGYN is committed to providing you with a healthy baby and a satisfying birth experience. We are confident that we provide patients with excellent care based on the teamwork of our entire staff. We appreciate your allowing us to be apart of it. Congratulations!
