CNMs listen to their patient's heart and lungs using a stethoscope

Some women aren't aware that they can see a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) for their reproductive health visits outside of pregnancy and birth. Midwives offer their services for wellness appointments, extending their practices beyond just catching babies.

GYN Care with a Midwife

Nurse Midwives in the Boston area provide what is called “well woman care.” This is just like an annual exam with a gynecologist. The midwife does an internal exam, takes a PAP smear, does a breast exam and may discuss health topics with the patient such as family planning and nutrition.

Why see a Certified Nurse Midwife instead of a Gynecologist?

One of the most common reasons to see a CNM is the different approach midwives have in general. A North Shore mother writes “I prefer a nurse midwife because she shows much more compassion than most doctors. She also takes the time to listen and understand where I am coming from. She does not talk at me or make me feel inferior (as had been my experience with a few GYN's). Compared to my old GYN, the midwife I have been seeing is much gentler and a much better communicator.”

Midwifery practices tend to run smaller and focus on individuals, usually having more time to spend with their patients than doctors. “I felt like I was in a factory at my old GYN practice. I feel very comfortable at the midwives,” continues this North Shore mother.

Another local woman had a similar response when asked why she prefers seeing a midwife: “My midwife is very gentle and spends more time with me than former OB-GYNs ever did.”

One thing to consider when deciding between a gynecologist and a nurse midwife is that midwives cannot perform surgical procedures. For example, a local mother notes that after she had surgery on her cervix the midwives “continued to do PAPs every three months for two years.” In the event that she had a positive test result on her PAP she would need to “go back to a GYN and have a biopsy or surgery. So, the only downfall for me is if in the future I need another biopsy or surgery I would have to transfer care back to a GYN.”

So, there is the chance that a woman may need dual care between a midwife and a gynecologist in her life.

Local Certified Nurse Midwives

In Massachusetts CNMs can be found at birth centers and hospitals. The two birth centers in Massachusetts are: the North Shore Birth Center on the Beverly Hospital campus, and the Cambridge Birth Center on the Cambridge Hospital campus. Both groups see female patients for well woman care and focus on out-of-hospital births.

The Massachusetts Chapter of the American College of Nurse Midwives has an online directory of practices across the State that have midwives in the practice. Some practices are exclusively nurse midwives while others team up midwives and OB-GYNs for an integrated practice.

Interview potential midwives just like a family doctor or pediatrician. Trust is an important element in the relationship between a woman and her care provider so take the time to find the right fit!

Image: Paul Barker