Just curious...

[manna, BSN, RN]

Just for my own curiosity's sake... I've recently met a WHNP that I use for my yearly appointments, and have begun to wish that I'd chosen a NP/CNM for my last son's birth... although my OB was a great guy, there's just something more personal there with NPs. Perhaps they have more time, perhaps it's part of their training, perhaps it was just this ladies personality.... as I'm not even a nursing student yet, I really have no idea.

Does your facility have both CNMs and OBs that do deliveries?

Now, the next part of my question.. I know each situation is fact-dependant and highly variable, but I'm just speaking in generalities here..

Do you see any less occurence of interventions with midwife-assisted rather than OB-assisted births?

Of course, that question probably would answer itself since I would assume (? someone correct me if I'm wrong) that CNMs usually handle "healthy" patients whereas OBs take the higher-risk/more complicated cases...

Sorry for a really long, drawn-out post just to satisfy my own curiosity's sake this afternoon.. thanks if you read this far. :)

[fergus51]

We use midwives and OBs, and I am very sorry to say that I haven't noticed a difference in the intervention rates between the two as far as low risk women go. I used to think that midwives would be more into natural birth, but I guess they take on the unit culture or something. I would decide on my health care provider based on their personal beliefs about birth, not just her training.

[manna, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by fergus51

I would decide on my health care provider based on their personal beliefs about birth, not just her training.

I did a poor job of choosing my OBs.. I just picked a name off my preferred provider list from my insurance company. He turned out to be a great guy, as far as OBs go in my experience, anyway.

I am amazed and a little discouraged by the incredibly different birth experiences I had with my two children.. the first I was on public assistance (Medicaid) and went to a clinic that saw mostly Mcaid patients. The second, I have private insurance and went to a clinic that did not accept any Mcaid patients at all. The difference in care was staggering!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

That's pretty sad.........I too have noticed a stark difference between the care I received as a MediCal/Medicaid pt. and that which I receive now, with dual insurance (lucky me!). Those who fear a universal health plan because it might create a two-tiered system of health care don't realize that there's BEEN one, for many years now......just ask anyone who's been on both tiers!

[manna, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by mjlrn97

.....just ask anyone who's been on both tiers!

Yes, and the thing that makes me even madder is that my brother - who is an MD - will swear up and down that patients are NOT treated any differently. Maybe not in his clinic, but that certainly isn't the case in all circumstances.

I can understand some of these measures - the doctor's have to make a living, pay their expenses (liability here is ridiculous, don't get me started on tort reform, etc), and try to prevent lawsuits as much as possible... but still!

Now I'm just ranting and not wanting to do any more work the rest of this lazy Friday... :)

[fergus51]

That's odd. Where I am from only the richer patients use midwives because they were not covered under the government health care plan. I believe they are now in the province I am from, but in other provinces like Alberta, they still aren't. So the poorer you are, the more likely you are to have an OB.

[SmilingBluEyes]

isn't that strange, fergus. midwives not being covered by the gov't. they usually are so much more economical and you get more for your money!!!! they improve outcomes in their inherent educational tendencies......people who see midwives KNOW what's going on with their bodies and pregnancies and usually are healthier.

anyhow that is just MY experience. i find that so stupid that any insurance won't cover midwifery care. dumb.