A nurse-midwife is an advanced practice nurse educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery. Nurse-midwives provide the independent management of women's health care focusing on common primary care issues, family planning and gynecologic needs of women, pregnancy, childbirth, the post partum period, and care of the newborn.

Lynne Himmelreich, RN, a certified nurse-midwife at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics says the prerequisites to become a certified nurse-midwife include being educated in nursing and midwifery. Current nurse-midwifery programs are at the Master's level. About one percent of the midwifery profession are men.

"One type of care, nurse-midwife over an OB/GYN, is not better than the other. Rather, we approach the care from a different culture. In nursing our role is to educate, facilitate, and help women optimize their health. Medicine has used a more traditional treat-and-cure approach. Certainly this approach may be necessary for complicated pregnancies.

"However, most women are healthy in and out of pregnancy and midwifery care is a perfect fit. The best of all worlds is a team approach that is seamless like what we have at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics," says Himmelreich.

"There are three nurse-midwives in our own private practice in the UI Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. We care for women during their pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the post partum period. Midwives and physicians have the same standard of care in terms of number of visits and lab tests. Our practice is set up so that we are able to spend 30 minutes for a prenatal visit, and we are able to be with women during their labor. This allows time for client education and discussions regarding their concerns and choices.

"If a problem or complication is detected by a nurse-midwife in pregnancy or labor, they work within a healthcare team that provides for consultation, collaboration, and referral. Here atUI Hospitals and Clinics, we have a wonderful working relationship with our obstetrician colleagues and there is always a board-certified obstetrician readily available," she says.

A little more than 200 babies are delivered at UI Hospitals and Clinics with the assistance of a nurse-midwife every year.

In addition to delivering babies, nurse-midwives see women for family planning needs as well woman gynecology needs.

Women are welcome to call the nurse-midwifery service for more information at 319-356-7002 and one of the midwives will be happy to speak with them. To schedule an appointment, call 319-356-2294.

KXIC broadcasts are presented in mp3 format. The latest version of Windows Media Player, QuickTime Player, or Real Player is required to play them.

Listen to the radio broadcast