Why Choose a Midwife over an OBGYN?
I get asked this question often, and it’s no surprise. In the United States, most births are attended by an OB-GYN or other hospital-based physician. OB-GYNs practice within a medical model of care that focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease. While this model is essential when complications arise, it often frames pregnancy as inherently high-risk and something that must be closely managed and routinely intervened upon. By contrast, the midwifery model of care views pregnancy and birth as normal, physiological life events. Care with a midwife centers on the whole person, emphasizing education, shared decision-making, and informed consent.
| OB-GYN’s | Midwives |
|---|---|
| Work in clinics and attend hospital births on a rotational call schedule with other OB-GYN’s | Provide prenatal care in homes and birth centers, and are often on call 24/7 or work in small partnerships |
| Believe that pregnancy and birth is a medical event that needs to be closely managed and controlled | Believe that pregnancy and birth are normal, physiological human functions |
| Specialize in medically complex, high risk birth and surgery | Have specialized training in low-risk, normal, natural birth |
| Believe that intervention should be done routinely | Believe that intervention should be minimized |
| Are rigid in setting timelines and rules for labor and birth | Are flexible in timelines and understand birth can be non-linear |
| Support early and routine medical pain management | Support relaxation, and natural, physiological pain management |
| Short prenatal visits focused on clinical details | Long prenatal visits focused on whole well-being |
| Do not provide newborn care or checkups | Provide newborn care and checkups for 6 weeks |
| Provide 1 postpartum visit at 6 weeks | Provide 4-6 postpartum visits (some in home!) over 6 weeks |
| Don’t provide breastfeeding support | Provide extensive breastfeeding support |
In essence, OBGYN’s are there for medical management, and midwives are there to support a natural process. Because of this, there are numerous measurable medical benefits to midwifery care that have been shown in studies.
Midwifery care includes benefits to Moms such as:
- Lower risk of unplanned c-section
- Lower use of forceps and vacuum delivery
- Reduced use of Pitocin
- Lower rates of requests for medical pain management such as epidural and opioid medication
- Fewer episiotomies
- Fewer interventions during placenta delivery, including manual placenta removal
- Reduced risk of infection
- Lower rates of blood transfusion and ICU admission
- Reduced risk of preterm birth
- Lower postpartum hemorrhage risk
- Shorter hospital stays when needed and fewer ER admissions after birth
- More likely to exclusively breastfeed
- More likely to been adequately screened and supported for postpartum mood disorders such as depression and anxiety
Midwifery care includes benefits to Babies such as:
- Better outcomes for babies with fewer NICU admissions and shorter NICU stays when needed
- Lower risk of injury from forceps, vacuum delivery and c-section
- Less likely to need advance specialist treatment
- More likely to exclusively breastfeed
What midwifery options do you have?
Thankfully, we have numerous great options here in the greater Houston area. We have midwives who provide care in homes, birth centers, and hospitals. Some are more relaxed and hands-off, while others are more hands-on. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation so we can help talk you through your options and see if midwifery care is the right fit for you.
