Certified Nurse Midwives Deliver 100th Baby

Kansas City, Kan. — The University of Kansas Health System’s midwifery practice, which debuted in late 2019, recently recorded its 100^th delivery. Collaborating with obstetrics-gynecology, the team includes 3 certified nurse-midwives (CNMs), who receive occasional help from our nursing staff. Our CNMs are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board and recognized as part of the medical community. They attend the births of about 12 babies a month, a number they believe they can continue to increase, if not double.

“I’d love to see our program grow,” said Courtney Carlson, DNP, APRN, CNM, who joined the program in late 2019. She, along with Amber Clark, DNP, APRN, CNM, and Marcia Houpe, MSN, APRN, CNM, is a former obstetrics nurse who became a CNM. Together, they have solidified the midwifery program as a practice distinct from the obstetrics-gynecology physicians.

“It’s important we offer women more choices in their birthing experiences,” said Carlson, who attended last week’s 100^th delivery. “For some women, that means a more holistic approach to pregnancy and delivery. Our goal is to give them that option.”

Our CNMs are trained to care for women before, during and after childbirth. Because they have been trained in both clinical nursing and midwifery, they are able to provide many of the same services you would expect from a primary care doctor, but with the patient-led approach you’d expect from a midwife. Their services include prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum care, women’s health services and primary care.