Sad Day For Midwives And Homebirthers in North Carolina

[Becky Wheeler]

The state of North Carolina no longer legally allows midwives to attend home births. Please sign this petition to have this reversed. Share it after you've signed it too, so it goes further, please and thank you.

http://www.change.org/petitions/north-carolina-medical-board-allow-physicians-to-continue-supervising-homebirth-cnms-in-nc#

[kawa kamuri]

Does anyone yet know if this is effective state wide? I'm in WNC and have yet to hear anything from our HB CNMs. 

[Rrrrrachel]

I don't think it's that there was a law passed making it illegal, it's just that the board of medicine seems to be applying pressure and even sanctioning doctors to keep them from providing backup to home birth midwives. Without backup they can't practice.

[kawa kamuri]

As I understand only one MD is being sanctioned for backing up many CNMs, but I admit to seeing a very fuzzy picture here. I have a MW appointment early next week and will bring this up. 

[Becky Wheeler]

Kawa, this has shut down 4 practices overnight and prohibited 9 midwives from operating legally.

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by Becky Wheeler 

Kawa, this has shut down 4 practices overnight and prohibited 9 midwives from operating legally.

Oh, I understand that. I was commenting that it was, I believe, only the one MD. 

[Rrrrrachel]

If nothing else it highlights the need to update the law so that midwives can function as the independent practitioners they are. Nc is one of only five states that require this kind of supervision.

[BetsyPage]

ABC 11 in Raleigh had a short report on it on 4:30 news and will have another report on 5:30 news.

This is really just unacceptable, we need better legislation! I'm really upset about this, my emotions were already near the surface when I recently researched homebirth providers and realized how limited my options were (b/c of geography and cost). I feel bad for the moms who are affected by this, and the midwives of course!
 

[kawa kamuri]

As far as what I'm reading not even the midwives involved truly understand what is going on here, there are some contradictory statements, and it looks to be directed at only one physician. Unfortunately it greatly impacts the lives of many women, families.   

[rnra]

In 2011 there were 4 confirmed homebirth deaths in North Carolina (and that's only the known ones).  That is TEN times the rate for comparable risk hospital birth.  What's more sad--regulations or dead babies?

[Katie8681]

This decision attacks CNMs, who are the SAFEST home birth attendants.

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by rnra 

In 2011 there were 4 confirmed homebirth deaths in North Carolina (and that's only the known ones).  That is TEN times the rate for comparable risk hospital birth.  What's more sad--regulations or dead babies?

The law already required back up supervision for CNMs. The law requiring supervision didn't prevent any of those deaths. Therefore, your comment is essentially irrelevant. If you're opposed to home birth in general, you're posting in the wrong MDC forum. If you're not, then why are you posting this? What the heck do those deaths have to do with sanctioning doctors for providing supervision to CNMs? Nothing.

[quinndellin]

When I learned about this new law, I became sick to my stomach & actually cried. I live in NC & am currently TTC #2. We were hoping & planning for a home birth. I am fed up with the government insisting on getting involved with business that pertains to my uterus. Sheesh. 

[Rrrrrachel]

There is no new law.

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by quinndellin 

When I learned about this new law, I became sick to my stomach & actually cried. I live in NC & am currently TTC #2. We were hoping & planning for a home birth. I am fed up with the government insisting on getting involved with business that pertains to my uterus. Sheesh. 

I'm presently pregnant in NC and, while it's terrible to think legal, MW attended HB can be taken away from me without notice, this is by no means state wide. The truth is, no one who is speaking publicly has the whole story yet. 

[kawa kamuri]

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/06/03/2108042/seven-nurse-midwives-lose-physician.html#storylink=addthishttp://www.newsobserver.com/2012/06/03/2108042/seven-nurse-midwives-lose-physician.html

[treehugz]

Just saw this posted on the NC Medical Board's website: http://www.ncmedboard.org/articles/detail/ncmb_and_p/
 

"NCMB and physician supervision of certified nurse midwives: the facts

A great deal of misinformation is circulating regarding the NC Medical Board's interest in home birth and, more specifically, its role in physician supervision of certified nurse midwives (CNMs).

Here are the facts:

• The Medical Board does not have a position on home birth. It is neither for it nor against it.

• The Board does not license CNMs and has no direct authority to affect the ability of these practitioners to provide care to patients.

• To practice lawfully, CNMs must be supervised by a licensed physician in accordance with criteria set out in Article 10A of the NC General Statutes. Proper supervision includes having detailed written guidelines that describe the clinical roles of the CNM and the supervising physician, written guidelines that describe how and under what circumstances the CNM and the supervising physician will communicate, and a formal process for periodically reviewing care, among other things.

• The Board has no policy that would prohibit physicians from supervising CNMs and has no plans to adopt such a policy. Any physician who meets the requirements of state law and related administrative rules may supervise CNMs."

[Rrrrrachel]

There is some serious hinkyness going on here.  Either Dorn just didnt' want to supervise CNM's anymore so he quit and lied about it, or he didn't want to anymore so he quit and CMW is lying about it, or some iteration of that.

Either way, CNM's shouldn't have to be supervised by a doctor to practice.

[Moonangel]

I am 32 weeks pregnant and my midwife was one to get 'shut down'. I can't tell you how devastating this is. Homebirth is not safest for everyone or every birth, but it IS safest for many, many women and we should all have the option of choosing the safest and healthiest birth.

Midwives should not have to have their license dependent on a physician. NC is only one of five states in the country that require this. This state is so backwards and dangerous.

Please, even if you don't want a homebirth for yourself...please consider supporting those who do. Share the story on Facebook or Twitter or whatever. Women and babies need help here to have safe options and shutting down midwives here make birth less safe here for so many families.

[treehugz]

An update from NC: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/06/...#storylink=cpy

"The Midwifery Joint Committee of North Carolina approved a new policy Thursday giving certified nurse midwives a potential 75-day grace period to practice after learning of sudden unavailability of their supervising physician. The policy is merely a recommendation that must be approved by the state’s Rules Review Commission before it is effective. It could possibly be approved as soon as Friday, according to N.C. Medical Board spokeswoman Jean Fisher Brinkley."

I also saw this linked: http://wheresmymidwife.org/2012/06/06/a-sad-day-in-nc/