Mothering Magazine Celebrates New Mexico Midwives
in our 30th Anniversary Issue!

Santa Fe, New Mexico - For 30 years, Mothering magazine has grown and thrived in New Mexico. We are very proud of our home state, which has the highest rate of midwifery-attended births in the nation, at 30.5 percent. The national average is just eight percent. In addition, New Mexico’s cesarean rate is 20.3 percent, significantly lower than the national figure of 27.6 percent. And, 82 percent of New Mexico mothers initiate breastfeeding.

New Mexico has enjoyed an uninterrupted history of legal midwifery and now is home to two of the best midwifery schools in the country: the National College of Midwifery in Taos and the nurse-midwifery program at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

In “Catching Babies in New Mexico,” Allegra Huston shares the stories of midwives who bravely defended their right to practice—and won. New Mexico is one of only ten states that provide midwifery care under Medicaid; elsewhere, it is an option only for those who can afford it. Though New Mexico has won the battle to provide midwifery care, its continued availability to all American women is limited by financial and legal obstacles.

Despite midwifery’s proven superiority to traditional medical care for low-risk mothers, managed-care organizations remain unwilling to pay for midwifery care. Insurance companies typically either refuse to provide malpractice coverage to midwives or charge exorbitant premiums, which most independent midwives cannot hope to pay.

Pregnancy and birth are normal life events that do not require medical intervention except in unusual circumstances. The World Health Organization recommends that midwives should be the principal providers of care for pregnant women, followed by family doctors, with obstetricians involved only in cases of clinical necessity.

The midwifery model of care, which emphasizes individual counseling, hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, minimal technological intervention, and extensive prenatal and postpartum care, has proven again and again to result in healthier outcomes for both mother and baby.

For more information and resources, read the May–June 2006 issue of Mothering magazine. Don’t miss our 30th Anniversary Celebration, May 12-14 in Santa Fe, New Mexico: www.mothering.com/anniversary.

Mothering is a bimonthly magazine that reports on natural family living. Articles cover pregnancy, childbirth options, midwifery, breastfeeding, educational alternatives, and family health issues. Check out www.mothering.com

Representatives of the media may obtain a complimentary copy of a particular issue and/or receive a complimentary subscription to Mothering Magazine by contacting Kathleen Chambers, Marketing Director, at kathleenc@mothering.com or call 505-984-6289.