Inside the Midwife's Bag: 01/07/11

January 2, 2011 ~ http://www.commonwealthmidwives.org/actionalert.htm

ACTION ALERT! YOUR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD!!!

Dear Midwifery Supporters,

This is a call to action for all citizens of Virginia who have an interest in out of hospital birth services. The issue of access to medications for women using the services of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) is currently before the Board of Medicine (BOM). Strong citizen support is needed to communicate to the BOM that the women and babies who receive midwifery care in Virginia prefer for their midwives to be legally able to administer medications.

Although CPMs are trained to carry and administer some medications considered necessary for safe and effective midwifery care in out of hospital birth, the current Virginia statute for Licensed Midwifery specifically prohibits them to do so. For many women seeking out of hospital birth, this dilemma represents a compromise to optimal safety in rare emergencies that occur for healthy women (postpartum bleeding), as well as access and convenience for medications for their newborns (Vitamin K, erythromycin).

This gap in midwifery care requires a resolution. The Board of Medicine has recently convened a Midwifery and Medications Workgroup, whose task is to address this issue.

Please contact the Board of Medicine NOW to let them know that you care about this issue and expect to see a resolution as soon as possible! (Scroll for contact info and sample talking points.)

During the first meeting of the Workgroup (December 3, 2010), many issues were discussed among the members (2 CPMs, 1CNM, 1 OB, 2 Pediatricians, and a Citizen member). The CPMs on the workgroup and those that attended the meeting, made every effort to educate the rest of the group on the issues, concerns, and obstacles to resolution. Representatives from the Medical Society of Virginia indicated that they would like physician oversight of midwives to be established prior to supporting any changes in the scope of practice of Licensed Midwives.

Please plan to come to the next meeting of the Workgroup on Friday, February 4th at 9am to speak during the public comment period. Please prepare a brief written statement prior to the meeting.

The Workgroup was unable to come to agreement on a next step other than to meet again in February. In order to authorize another meeting, the group passed the following motion unanimously,

"The committee will discuss and develop a plan that will increase safety and access to necessary medications for home-birthing women and their newborns."

By passing this resolution, the group acknowledged that there is a concern, but that there is not yet a clear path to solving it.

Due to short notice from the Board of Medicine about the workgroup meeting, there was only ONE consumer present to represent all of you. As many of you know, it was largely due to the massive effort of every individual mother, father, grandparent, sister and cousin that allowed CPMs to be licensed in Virginia through the passage of our bill in 2005. This was not an easy effort and the sentiment from the medical community is largely unchanged. The Commonwealth Midwives Alliance (CMA) is once again asking midwifery supporters like you to come forward and bolster our goal to effectively serve the mothers and infants of the Commonwealth.

Letter Writing Pointers and Contact Information

Please write a brief personal note to the Board of Medicine today…

Address your letter to:

Virginia Board of Medicine Workgroup on Midwifery and Medications

Attn. Dr. William Harp, Executive Director;

Dr. Karen Ransone, President of the Board of Medicine;

Dr. Deren Bader, CPM, Chair of the Midwifery Advisory Board

Perimeter Center

9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300

Henrico, Virginia 23233-1463

Please send your letter via email. Use the same header and send to: medbd@dhp.virginia.gov

(Cc) to: Dr. Deren Bader: deren@mountainviewmidwives.com

CMA President, Kim Mosny: kmosny@RichmondMidwife.com

The issue is clear: You have a right to safe and effective maternity care. CPMs are proven as safe providers of out of hospital birth. Virginia Licensed Midwives need access to the tools available to provide the care they are trained to offer.

Here are a few more things to consider:

Describe the beliefs you have about wanting someone who would attend your birth with the appropriate tools and competencies to assist in a normal birthing process. Explain that you want your midwife to be able to use all the knowledge and skills of her training. This includes administering medications when indicated.

If you have an experience that demonstrates how important it would have been for your midwife to be able to carry and administer certain medications, speak about the experience. For example, were you inconvenienced in needing to obtain RhoGam? Were you unable to get Vitamin K and/or erythromycin for your newborn because of the midwife’s restriction and thus you decided against those medications for your baby? Did you forgo medications due to inconvenience?

Please do not speak negatively about hospitals or hospital providers. Keep the tone of your letter positive.

Indicate that you will be monitoring the deliberations of the Workgroup and hope that its recommendations will be carefully focused on the evidence for best practice, and the health and safety of the Virginia families who choose home birth and the care of Licensed CPMs.

Thank you for your support of Virginia Licensed Certified Professional Midwives.

Sincerely,

Kim Mosny, CPM

President, Commonwealth Midwives Alliance

For questions or for more information please contact: