Birth Works » The Midwives Model of Care

Learn

The Midwives Model of Care

What is the “Midwifery Model of Care” and what is the “Medical Model of Care”?

Views of the childbearing process and of appropriate care for childbearing women vary. Two contrasting perspectives are often called the “Midwifery Model of Care” and the “Medical Model of Care.” There are striking differences in the two models. These differences can have a great impact on your experience and outcomes.

Here are some contrasts between the two models:

Midwifery Model of Care	Medical Model of Care
Focus on health, wellness, prevention	Focus on managing problems and complications
Labor/birth as normal physiological processes	Labor/birth as dependent on technology
Lower rates of using interventions	Higher rates of using interventions
Mother gives birth	Doctor delivers baby
Care is individualized	Care is routinized

Naturally, the midwifery model describes the practice of many midwives, and the medical model describes the practice of many doctors. But many caregivers combine elements of both. It is possible, but less common, to find doctors whose practice most closely resembles the midwifery model of care and midwives whose practice most closely resembles the medical model.

Thinking about these different views can help you to understand your own values and ideas about pregnancy and birth, and can help you select a caregiver who is compatible with your needs and values. Many women have a clear preference for one or the other of these models.

The Midwives Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes.

The Midwives Model of Care includes:

Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle
Providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
Minimizing technological interventions
Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention

The application of this woman-centered model of care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.