Midwives face felony in Iowa

To the editor:

Hero or felon?

Dec. 11, 2011, when CNN acclaimed Robin Lim (a former Iowan) as the ?Hero of the Year,? midwives and mothers the world over rejoiced. ?Mother Robin? earned the title for her humanitarian work in Indonesia, where she has founded two free, midwife-staffed maternity clinics.

Ironically, the very practice of midwifery which has gained Lim international renown could have landed her a charge of felony had she been reported for practicing midwifery in Iowa, her home base of many years. That?s because Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) such as Lim are not allowed licensure within the state, and thus are charged with practicing medicine without a license ? despite the fact that the CPM credential has been proven for its safety and excellence and is already the standard of midwifery licensure for many other states nationwide.

It makes sense why midwives would be needed in the developing world, where healthcare costs can be prohibitive. However, many people don?t realize that midwifery care saves lives even in Western nations. The United States is a far cry from the safest place on Earth to give birth, according to statistics. Those nations which best outdo us utilize midwifery care for 70 percent of all births.

Iowa-born and educated midwifery champion Ina May Gaskin has proven the benefits of midwifery care in her practice in Tennessee. In over 2,000 births, Gaskin?s practice has maintained excellent maternal and newborn outcomes, with extraordinarily low complication rates. In fact, the practice?s statistics are much better than the overall national average for maternity care.

So which way is it ? and how should it be? Are midwives such as Lim and Gaskin heroes ? or felons? America at large has given its answer in voting Robin Lim a hero. If you agree, get in touch with Friends of Iowa Midwives (www.friendsofiowamidwives.org/).

? Cheyenne Francis, Mt. Sterling