Prenatal health care is very important. I found an article in my local news that talks about this: I'd like to point out that an expectant mother has the option of going to an obstetrician or a midwife, and the medical care should be adequate from both sources. Both obstetricians and midwives do a urinalysis at each prenatal visit to screen for possible health concerns or complications, as well as check the mother's blood pressure, fundal height measurement, weight gain or loss, and check the baby's heartbeat.
A good obstetrician or midwife will also take time at each visit to talk with the expectant mother about her feelings, her life situation and stressors which might impact her well-being during her pregnancy.
Health care may differ from one care giver to another depending on that caregiver's approach to pregnancy and birth. Obstetricians and Certified Nurse Midwives who practice under the supervision of an OB may be more likely to take a very medical approach by suggesting more screenings and tests than a Certified Professional Midwife or Direct Entry Midwife would. Doctors approach pregnancy and birth as a problem waiting to happen. They spend more time looking for problems, because they are trained to handle emergencies and complications. Midwives generally approach pregnancy and birth by looking at the woman as a whole being and trusting in her body's ability to do what it's designed to do, and less time looking for problems. With this being said, midwives are trained to watch for potential problems and how to handle them if they do come up.
Whether you choose a doctor or a midwife for your prenatal care, and whether you choose to birth in a hospital, birth center or at home, please get the prenatal health care that you need. Learn about the screenings and tests and procedures so that you can make educated decisions about your health care. Remember that the doctor or midwife works for you, and not the other way around.
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