Midwives in Wyoming

By Sarah Brodsky on Feb 2, 2009

Just as Missouri leads other states with its Second Life presence, it’s ahead of the game in midwifery policy. The latest state to try to catch up is Wyoming — a state in which home birth with a midwife is almost impossible:

Currently, it is illegal for certified professional midwives to perform births at home. Only nurse midwives […] can, but only about two of the 11 nurse midwives in Wyoming actually oversee home births.

Legislators in Wyoming want to create a state board to certify midwives, thereby legalizing the practice for those who are not nurses but who have completed a course of training.

That would be better than doing nothing, but if Wyoming wants to get as far as Missouri, it should allow midwifery and leave the certification to a private board.

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Sarah Brodsky

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