DEANNE R. WILLIAMS PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP

Midwifery and Health System Reform:  New Policy Review Released by the A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc.

The A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc. ("Foundation") is pleased to announce the release of a timely document entitled:  Positioning Midwifery in Health System Reform: A Policy Review.  The document, finalized in February, 2010, was developed as the initial product of the Deanne R. Williams Public Policy Fellowship, which was established in 2007 by the A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc. as part of their expanded programmatic initiatives pertaining to midwifery policy and leadership.

[Recommended citation: Paine LL, Williams DR (Eds.) Positioning Midwifery in Health System Reform: A Policy Review.  Silver Spring, MD: The A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc., 2010.]

In this document, citations from a variety of sources make the connection between the unmet needs of the population and the collaborative and creative utilization of CNMs and CMs; most importantly, in the areas of health promotion, disease prevention, and the elimination of health disparities.  Descriptions of successful models of midwifery care are also included and reference is made to key policy and quality documents, as well as documentation that the goals many policy leaders have established are an integral part of midwifery care.

Edited by Lisa L. Paine, CNM, DrPH, FACNM and Deanne R. Williams, CNM, MS, FACNM, and building upon the work of Lisa Summers, CNM, DrPH, FACNM, the 2008 recipient of the Deanne R. Williams Public Policy Fellowship, this review reframes and revisits the evidence collected over time about the safety, cost effectiveness, and unique contributions of midwifery care as provided by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs).

The Foundation believes this document will become a valuable tool for action in the future, especially for those interested in and dedicated to the issues summarized by the editors:

"For years we have known that when it comes to quality health care, women in the United States 'pay more for less.' Women are too likely to get inadequate prenatal care and the probability of their babies suffering from preventable complications is too high.  It has been repeatedly demonstrated that integrated health care systems that promote collaborative relationships between physicians and nurse-midwives provide better access to care and healthier outcomes. It is also clear that appropriate allocation of resources in order to get the right care to the right woman requires creating more low-intervention settings for healthy women and assuring that women at risk for poor outcomes receive the interventions they need."

Since its publication in February of 2010, we have learned more about the rising cesarean section rate (NCHS Brief, Recent Trends in Cesarean Delivery in the US, March 2010) and the unacceptable disparities in maternal mortality (Deadly Delivery:  The Maternal Health Crisis in the USA, Amnesty International, March 2010).  In addition, the health care reform bill signed by President Obama requires measurement of the quality of adult health care covered by Medicaid, which is the source of payment for 42% of US births. Clearly, the time to change the childbirth culture is now.

About the Foundation:

The A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc. ("Foundation") was established in 1967 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the provision of high quality maternal, newborn, and well woman health services through the practice of midwifery. The Foundation's mission is to promote excellence in health care for women, infants and families worldwide through the support of midwifery. More information is at: http://www.midwife.org/support.cfm

About the Fellowship:

The Deanne R. Williams Public Policy Fellowship was established by the Foundation in 2007 in honor of Deanne R. Williams, CNM, MS, FACNM, long-time executive director of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), for her distinguished career in midwifery and public policy. Initial support for the Deanne R. Williams Public Policy Fellowship award was provided, in part, by the Foundation’s Teresa Marsico Memorial Fund. Teresa Marsico was a past-president of the ACNM.

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