A flaw in our regulations prevents Virginia midwives from serving the public health and safety of Virginians to the best of their training, skills, and abilities. Training at a national level for Certified Professional Midwives includes the carrying and administering of certain medications, which are often required or requested at the time of birth. Furthermore, state officials recommend that a newborn be administered certain drugs within 24 hours of birth. Every Licensed Midwife is certified at the national level to carry and administer these medications, but the current midwifery laws prevent them from carrying or administering them.

In my birthing situation, everything went exactly how I could have imagined it at the birth center. The midwives were so thorough and detailed in their practice. My baby was welcomed into this world in a peaceful and quiet place. She was healthy. There was only one issue… I started hemorrhaging after my daughter was born and in Virginia, midwives can’t administer medication to stop that. I also had a tear and ultimately had to go to the hospital within the hour after my delivery. That trip to the hospital was a traumatic experience for my husband, new born baby, and me that could’ve been avoided if this archaic law was not in place. 

Situations that are low risk and manageable within the home or community are, as a result, made into ordeals that at best inconvenience and at worst endanger the wellbeing of mothers and babies. Unnecessary exposure of infants to public spaces, and further overburdening of our healthcare systems, means that this inconsistency negatively affects the entire community. In our case. It was December when there was a huge COVID 19 spike. One of the main reasons that we opted for the birth center was to avoid the hospital at all costs. When I unfortunately had to be transferred to the hospital after my delivery, my husband and hour old newborn were not allowed to come with me, meaning I wasn’t able to feed my daughter in her first few hours of life. We were left to the judgements of the hospital and did not feel supported.

If the barrier to the resources for which they are trained is removed, midwives could relieve the maternity care desert status affecting nearly half of Virginians, who live outside a reasonable driving distance from a well stocked medical facility.

Prioritizing public safety means allowing trained health professionals to use all of their resources and skills. The demand for midwifery care will increase as uncertainty rises. Strong, self reliant communities are built on skilled individuals like our midwives.  To reiterate, our LMs are already trained and certified to administer these medications; only the law prevents their acting on it.

Please consider changing this law. It could save lives and prevent both physical and emotional traumas for mothers, fathers, and infants.