MGH midwives dedicated to mother and baby

The word "midwife" may conjure thoughts of bygone times, but today midwives are an integral segment of the professionally trained workforce that cares for women through pregnancy and delivery. The Midwifery Practice at the MGH's Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology Service was established in 1994 and currently includes 15 certified nurse midwives (CNMs) who oversee up to one-third of all the deliveries at the MGH.

From left to right, MGH midwives: Sherrin Langeler, Barbara Curtis, Pauline Ratta, Kim Deltano, Christina Zannieri, Amy Smith, Angela Ferrari, Nancy Mysliwy, Amelia Henning, Autumn Cohen, Christina-Guerrero-Gatto, Julia Battel and Marie Henderson

Trained to care for women throughout their reproductive life cycles, CNMs at the MGH work in collaboration with obstetric and gynecology specialists and maternal fetal medicine physicians. All are licensed advanced practice nurses who are educated and certified in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery and have passed a nationally accredited educational program and the American Midwifery Certification Board exam.

To help educate the MGH community about the important roles midwives play at the MGH, several activities were held during National Midwifery Week, which was celebrated Oct. 7 to 13. Among the activities for MGHers, patients and visitors were a poster display featuring midwifery at the MGH and its health care centers in Chelsea, Revere and Charlestown and an information table with pamphlets, posters and a video in English and Spanish describing the work of midwives. The MGH midwives were on hand at the table to answer questions and promote the use of midwives for healthy women.

On Oct. 19, more than 200 midwives from Massachusetts will gather in Burlington to celebrate 30 years of midwifery, and in May 2008, approximately 1,500 midwives from across the country will convene in Boston for the 53rd annual meeting of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

For more information about midwifery services at the MGH, visit www.massgeneral.org/vincent.