Hutzel Women’s Hospital and University Women’s Care are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their Nurse-Midwife program.

“Hutzel was the first hospital in Michigan to grant privileges to nurse-midwives,” said Mary Lewis, a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) and Director of the Nurse-Midwife Program at Hutzel Women’s Hospital.

The Nurse Midwife program at Hutzel is not only the oldest in the state, it’s also one of the busiest. In 2003, 10 nurse midwives delivered approximately 1,300 babies at the hospital. Almost 25 percent of all babies delivered at Hutzel Women’s Hospital are delivered by a certified nurse-midwife.

“We take a holistic approach to pregnancy and childbirth,” Lewis said. “Childbirth is not an illness, it’s a normal process and we treat it that way.”

This holistic approach is attractive to a wide variety of women. “We find that a whole cross section of society seeks us out,” Lewis said. “Many mothers like the fact that we work closely with them throughout labor and delivery.”

Myths About Midwives

Still, many people misunderstand the work of nurse midwives. For example, Lewis said most people don’t understand that nurse-midwives can provide pain medication.

“If you have a nurse-midwife, you can still have an epidural or IV meds if you want them,” Lewis said. “The only thing we can’t do is perform a C-section. But even then, a physician is always nearby if a C-section is needed or a complication arises during delivery.”

In addition to providing pain medication, nurse-midwives often help mothers through labor with natural therapies, including showers, massage, hot packs, and the use of a birthing ball.

Another common myth about nurse-midwives: Most people think midwives only deliver babies at home. Lewis said this is simply not true. According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives, 96 percent of babies delivered by nurse-midwives are delivered in hospitals.

Beyond Labor and Delivery

But nurse-midwives do more than just deliver babies. They also serve as primary care providers for women of childbearing age through senior years. Hutzel midwives work in the hospital and they also staff clinics throughout the Detroit area – providing services ranging from family planning, preconception counseling and prenatal care to annual physicals, pelvic exams and pap smears.

As you might imagine, training to become a certified nurse-midwife is rigorous. All certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses with an additional graduate degree in midwifery.

“Our midwives have a minimum of a master’s degree and some have a Ph.D.,” Lewis said. “They are all board-certified and licensed by the state.” As a recognized leader in midwifery, University Women’s Care and Hutzel Women’s Hospital is helping to train a new generation of nurse-midwives. The Wayne State University College of Nursing recently launched a new master’s degree program in nurse-midwifery.

The Wayne State students will receive much of their training at Hutzel Women’s Hospital. Midwifery students from the University of Michigan and other programs also train at the hospital. “It’s our hope that many of these students will stay right here in Detroit and help us improve the health of mothers and babies in this community.”

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