Considering a midwife for your prenatal care & delivery or women’s healthcare? Here’s important information from the Reading Birth & Women’s Center team.

What is a midwife?

Just as they have throughout history, midwives attend childbirth and support women throughout labor and delivery. Today, midwives provide prenatal care for women with normal pregnancies, attend childbirth and care for women immediately following the birth of their babies. Midwives are also trained to provide well-woman care and screenings.

Are there different kinds of midwives?

The majority of midwives in the United States are either Certified Nurse Midwives (nurses with additional training and certification by the American Midwifery Certification Board) or Certified Midwives, with training in the discipline of midwifery and certification by the board. The Reading Birth & Women’s Center midwives are Certified Nurse Midwives.

Did you know?

• Nurse midwives may legally practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia
• Nurse midwives can prescribe medication
• Nurse midwives practice in homes, birth centers, clinics, and hospitals.
• 33 states – including Pennsylvania – require private insurance reimbursement for nurse-midwifery services
• Medicaid reimbursement is mandatory in all 50 states

What is a birth center?

A birth center is an alternative to a hospital setting, for women who have normal pregnancies. The Reading Birth & Women’s Center is a warm, home-like setting that is equipped to care for women during normal childbirth. We are also minutes away from our affiliate hospital, the excellent Reading Hospital and Medical Center. Learn more about our Birth Center, here.