Why We Need Certified Professional Midwives
Births in the US Paid by Medicaid
Maternity Care is a Key Driver of Healthcare Costs
Childbirth is the #1 reason for hospitalization in the U.S.
23% of all hospital discharges are related to childbearing, accounting for $110 billion health care dollars
48 percent of births in the U.S. were paid for by Medicaid in 2010, up from 40 percent of births in 2008
Childbirth in the U.S.: Dominated by Costly Interventions ~ Need for Quality Improvement
31.9% of all births in 2016 are by cesarean section; 23.3% of births are medically induced
High mortality rates – U.S. is 37th in world rankings for neonates, 50th in the world for mothers
National physician shortage predictions are acute for the maternity care workforce
Number of births projected to rise from 2010 level of 4.3 million to 5.7 million in 2050
Anticipated shortage of OB/GYNs will be 18% (9,000) by 2030 and 25% (15,000) by 2050 based on years of post-residency practice, with a distinct trend to increasingly fewer post-residency practice years
Rural Access to OB providers is especially lacking
49% of U.S. counties, representing 9.5 million people, had not a single OB/GYN in 2011
The number of OB/GYNs per 10,000 women drops from 2.9 in cities to 1.7 in smaller cities, to 0.7 in rural counties
Patient Choice of a Certified Professional Midwife = Greater Access, Lower Cost, Better Outcomes
Non-physician providers, including midwives, are helping to address the workforce shortage
Community-based providers, such as Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs), are needed to provide care in rural & underserved areas
Washington State data found the care of CPMs resulted in fewer low-birth-weight babies, many fewer cesarean sections, and similar rates of infant mortality when compared to low-risk hospital births, while delivering substantial savings to the state budget
Countries with the lowest infant mortality (and lower costs) rely on midwives as the primary maternity care providers for the majority of childbearing people.
Childbearing people in the care of CPMs experience a 5.2% cesarean section rate, compared to at least a 20% rate for healthy low-risk people in the hospital which increases costs without improving outcomes.
Solution: License Certified Professional Midwives
CPMs are licensed in 33 states and the number is growing.
The CPM is a credential administered by the North American Registry of Midwives and accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
Relying on the national credentialing agency to set standards and administer examinations saves states money and provides assurance that midwives have met national psychometrically sound standards.
