Midwives approach patient care a little differently and serve women of all ages.
Lauren Deleon, certified nurse-midwife at Spectrum Health, explains the way midwives approach health care and the services they provide to women.
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are independent health care providers. CNMs are highly qualified providers with graduate degrees in advanced practice nursing, licensed with the State of Michigan and certified through the American Midwifery Certification Board.
CNMs work with other members of the health care team, such as physicians and nurses, to provide the highest quality care. They work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, medical offices, clinics, birth centers, and homes.
They provide general health care services, gynecology care, and family planning, as well as maternity care (before, during, and after childbirth).
Midwives focus not only on maternity care but also on the full range of health needs throughout life. Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) provide care from your first period until after menopause, plus all the important health events in between, such as:
- General health care services
- Annual gynecologic exams
- Family planning needs
- Treatment of sexually transmitted infections
- Care during teenage years
- Care for pregnancy, labor, and birth
- Menopause care
Choosing a midwife offers patients a chance for expert personalized care based on research and evidence.
Midwifery care does not rely on providing a specific set of childbirth procedures or practices for all women. Instead, midwives tailor care to meet the wants and needs of each woman and her baby.
Midwives maintain the best conditions possible for a safe and healthy outcome for all involved.
Spectrum Health has over 20 certified nurse midwives working in a variety of settings
Spectrum Health has two locations focused on midwifery care:
- Ada Integrated Care Campus7128 East Fulton616-825-3500
- South Pavilion80 68th Street616-391-3302
- Downtown Grand Rapids330 Barclay Ave616-391-2160
- Spectrum Health Pennock1009 W Green St, Hastings269-945-8080
To make an appointment or to learn more, visit spectrumhealth.org.
Medical Moments is sponsored by Spectrum Health.
