Hello Friends,

It has been a long while since you received an update from us, and I apologize. There are two reasons for this. One is that we have been busy serving women and families having home births. The other is that not much happened on the birth center front for quite a while. That has all changed recently though, so here’s the scoop.

Women and families are being heard across the nation as they call for more options in their health care and births. Medscape, a well-respected medical news service, recently put out an article based on a new position statement from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) regarding cooperation between Ob/Gyns and midwives. You can read the whole article with a free login from Medscape here . Just a few key points of the position statement include:

Equal reimbursement for services provided by midwives

Access to hospital privileges for nurse-midwives

Collaboration between professionals

Reiteration of the importance of evidence-based practice

Want to know more about midwives in Missouri? This beautiful, educational book is available for purchase from the Missouri Midwives Association. It includes research summaries, family stories, FAQ's, a 'family album' of midwives, info about Missouri's current law, and much more. This is a great tool for answering questions about why you are choosing a midwife for your family!

Here is the latest update from the legislative committee of the Missouri Midwives Association, of which I am an active part. If you are new to midwifery in Missouri, you may not understand how great the fight has been so far to give you access to midwives, and birth outside of the hospital. This legislative battle is crucial to preserving your rights-please take a moment to read, and to act!

There are now THREE midwifery bills before the Missouri Legislature:

Friends and supporters: