Oral

In recent years birthing families' access to prenatal care and consistent birthing support has been diminished by provider shortages, rising insurance costs, demographic shifts, and national policy. In the face of the de-coupling of cash assistance from Medicaid and changes in policies concerning pregnant and birthing mothers, two vulnerable populations, low-income pregnant and parenting women and their children, are at risk for detrimental outcomes. Although programs such as Healthy Start and WIC continue to underscore the importance of early intervention on the health of low-income families, health care and social support during the childbearing year are increasingly fragmented and difficult to access. There has been a significant amount of research done on obstetric service trends but much less on midwifery trends, especially on local levels. Because midwives account for about 10 percent of all deliveries in the United States, it seemed logical to extend the same levels of attention to Certified Nurse Midwives/Certified Professional Midwives as obstetricians. This session will address issues such as cesearan sections, childbirth education classes and doula programs.

Session Objectives: 1 Describe how to incorporate childbirth education classes with a doula program. 2 Identify complications related to cesarean delivery 3 Understand how to develop a Standardized Patient program that focuses on cultural issues relevant to nurse midwives practicing in rural areas. 4 Understand how to develop a collaboration between two universities to educate midwifery students.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing