Midwifery Revisited

Today’s Post-Dispatch covers the ongoing drama in Missouri’s midwife legislation saga. Eric Dixon, the Show-Me Institute’s editor, published an op-ed on the benefits of legalized midwifery earlier this year.

Missouri is one of 10 states that prohibit midwives without medical or nursing degrees from assisting with prenatal care. Last year, a late addition to Missouri’s historic HB 818 health reform bill legalized the practice of midwifery for those who obtained a “tocological certification” from a private accreditation group specializing in pregnancy-related services.

The provision was a source of controversy and led to the removal of Senator John Loudon, who had sponsored the midwife provision, from his position as chairman of the Senate Small Business, Insurance, and Industrial Relations Committee.

Senator Loudon is now being restored to his prior leadership position, under the condition that he work to repeal HB 818’s midwife provision. This is an unfortunate twist in the saga. Many Missouri mothers are better off using midwives than traditional hospital care. And, as was pointed out in our op-ed on the subject, it’s already legal for anybody to help deliver a baby in Missouri. It’s only when money is involved that it becomes a problem.

Anyway, read our our op-ed on the topic. It says it better than I can.