- Non-Hispanic Black people are more likely to give birth to babies with low birth weight and are over two times more likely to die before their first birthday https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/infantmortality.htm
- Black and Native American people are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0905-racial-ethnic-disparities-pregnancy-deaths.html
These stats do not include people with low income, neuro-diverse individuals, those with lower education, or any other groups that experience discrimination. This is not a matter of genetics that predispose a person to poor birth outcomes. Most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Statistics like this tell us that people from marginalized groups receive worse care and experience higher risks than people from more advantaged social groups.
The ability to reduce the disproportionate care we see in America today will require a change within many systems of our healthcare. Midwife-led care is a major step in that direction. With a midwife you are:
- 8 times more likely to give birth with a provider that you have come to know throughout pregnancy
- 21% less likely to experience fetal loss before 24 weeks gestation
- 19% less likely to have regional analgesia, 14% less likely to have an instrumental birth, and 18% less likely to have an episiotomy
- significantly more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth, initiate breastfeeding, and feel in control https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jmwh.2010.02.002
Why is this so?
In short, this is because the Midwife Model of Care monitors the psychological, physical, and social well-being of the birthing person throughout the pregnancy year. So rather than short visits, focusing solely on the baby and your physical health, a midwife centers care on you as the birthing person in a more personalized and in depth manner. This means longer visits spent educating you on things like nutrition, providing resources for anything needed, and generally getting to know your wants and needs.
The Midwife Model of Care also focuses on humanizing and normalizing pregnancy and birth. This means that we have the training to be able to identify and refer people that need obstetric care, yet we understand that normal comes with variations. So, we honor your body’s unique process as we watch for signs that may require intervention. https://mana.org/about-midwives/midwifery-model
Midwifery care works, and the proof is in the numbers. Worldwide, midwives attend 70% of all births, and the countries with the best maternal and fetal outcomes have midwives at the center of their peri-natal care system. We are able to give caring, culturally responsive care to people from any type of social group. https://mana.org/about-midwives/midwifery-model