I am a consumer of services from a Certified Professional Midwife in Virginia.  I have a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley and am a trained nutritionist with clinical and community-based work experience.  I have also worked internationally supporting the Midwifery Model of Care in a variety of settings. After receiving care from an Obstetrician whith my pregnancy, I sought the care of a CPM instead.  I carefully researched my alternatives and was very proactive and involved in my own health care and wanted to work with a health care provider that was a colleague and a partner in my care.  I was impressed by my CPM's standard of care, her competency and her practice of evidence-based midwifery care.  I was always offered informed consent of any and all procedures and was treated with compassion and respect.  I felt this was lacking in my experience with my OB care and in general with other health care related experiences in this area. 

I would encourage this action be taken of ALL health care providers and not single out CPMs, who, in my experience and professional opinion, tend to practice evidence-based care more consistently than other health care providers such as Obstetricians.  In my experience, CPMs insist that their clients be informed consumers of their services and that they give their full consent to interventions offered during their care. 

Respectfully,

Kristen Marsh, MPH

Vienna, VA