Legally recognized homebirth practices (nurse-midwifery and/or physician practices) are found in only 5 of 102 Illinois Counties (Cook, Bureau, DuPage, Lake and Winnebago Counties). These practices do not meet the consumer demand for homebirth in the state, leaving 97 counties severely underserved. Enabling legislation for Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) will open the doors for the families of Illinois who choose homebirth, to be safely attended by trained professionals who specialize in homebirth.
Even without legal access to Certified Professional Midwives, women continue to seek their services. Because nurse-midwives are hospital trained, many women, invested in having a midwifery-managed out-of-hospital birth, seek the services of direct-entry midwives. Without licensing, families have no protection, no recourse, and no access to collaborative care. This is a public health nightmare for women who are educated about maternity care options and desire the safest, healthiest, drug-free model of maternity care: The Midwives Model of Care.
|
|
|
|
|
Why Licensure?