Midwifery Care
Providing leading midwifery care for women throughout their lifetime.
When you choose midwifery care at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, you’ll receive natural, holistic care from our team of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM). Our advanced practice nurses are specially trained in gynecology and obstetrics, providing leading midwifery care for women during pregnancy and other life stages.
When it comes to pregnancy and delivery, studies show that women who choose a midwife for care may experience fewer hospitalizations during pregnancy, fewer episiotomies, and feel more in control during childbirth.
In addition to supporting you throughout pregnancy and delivery, our midwives care for women during other phases of life, providing well woman exams, pap smears, contraception and preventative care.
All babies are delivered at the Ohio State Maternity Center with access to the latest equipment and resources for every kind of pregnancy and delivery.
Why choose Ohio State
Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center’s comprehensive midwifery program provides the care you want, when you want it. Here are some reasons expectant mothers choose our midwives:
- We focus on providing personalized, hands on care throughout labor and birth.
- We are committed to your birth choices and incorporating your individual needs into your care plan.
- We offer hydrotherapy during labor and water birth.
- Our state-of-the-art facility includes private rooms and the latest equipment and resources for every kind of pregnancy and delivery.
- We are experts at empowering women to take an active role in their health care.
Our services
Ohio State’s Midwifery Program offers comprehensive care in obstetrics and gynecology for women of all ages. Our midwives provide a compassionate approach to all aspects of women’s health care. We currently offer midwifery care at four office locations - Upper Arlington, Dublin, Worthington and Gahanna while performing deliveries at Ohio State's Maternity Center.
Ohio State's midwives offer a variety of care including:
- Annual well-woman exams
- Methods of contraception
- Pregnancy care and delivery
- Prescriptions
- Treatment for common infections
In addition, if you develop a medical condition that requires more specialized treatment, our midwives refer you to an obstetrician or other specialist.
Frequently asked questions
Is a midwife right for you?
It’s natural to have questions about your health care, especially when it comes to choosing a provider. Here, our midwives answer some of the most frequently asked questions about midwives and midwifery. For questions not answered here, please contact us or schedule a complimentary, no-obligation midwife appointment.
Women who choose a midwife are generally looking for a provider who will offer them choice in their healthcare options, and a partner in helping them make important decisions regarding their health. As midwives, we are experts in normal pregnancy and birth.
You can expect a special kind of care when you choose a midwife. We are present during the labor and birth process. We see ourselves as your partners and want to make sure you have an active voice in your care and birth experience.
Our philosophy is that life events such as puberty, birth and menopause are normal experiences in a woman's life--not something that needs to be treated like an emergency. Our goal is to educate you and provide support so you can make the best choices for you and your family.
At Ohio State, we have access to Ob/Gyn physicians in our offices and on the labor and delivery unit. We collaborate with perinatologists, anesthesiologists and NICU when needed.
No. While we support a woman's right to give birth where and with whom she chooses but we do not attend home births. All of our births are attended at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
We attend deliveries exclusively at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Yes. Both water for labor (hydrotherapy) and water birth are options for midwifery patients. There are many benefits including pain relief. We have Aquadoula tubs which are available in all of our labor and delivery rooms. Water birth is an option for low-risk patients. If you are interested in water birth, we recommend that you discuss this with your midwife.
We do not cut episiotomies routinely. If a baby is intolerant of labor and needs to be born immediately, the decision to cut an episiotomy might be made, though this rarely happens. Our current rate of episiotomy is approximately 1.7 percent.
Yes!
Mothers generally do great after childbirth. An early discharge at 24 hours is something we support as long as the mother is stable. More concerning is how baby is doing in the first 24 hours. We recommend speaking with your pediatrician about his/her policy on early discharge.
Yes. We are happy to offer this option to women who are delivering their babies at the The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.