Monday, November 26, 2007

Midwivery in Delaware

Categories: Delaware

If a woman's sovereignty over her body extends to the right to abortion, why shouldn't she be able to select a midwife who is not approved by the state?

That's a question being asked by Susan DiNatale , a certified professional midwife and president of the Delaware Midwives Guild.

When it comes to giving birth in Delaware, one feature of American health care--restrictions on providers--is in place. But that may change, just a bit:

Regulatory changes to be discussed Tuesday at a hearing in Dover would allow freestanding birth centers in Delaware to hire certified professional midwives. Currently, clinical staffing for birth centers is restricted to physicians and certified nurse midwives.

The proposed changes won't have much of an effect, as there is but one freestanding birth center in the state. But they would represent a small crack in the regulatory apparatus that entangles health care.