In a time of rapidly changing health care provision, the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) has created a competence- and experience-based accreditation process to evaluate direct-entry midwives from diverse educational backgrounds. More than 500 midwives have been credentialled as "Certified Professional Midwives" (CPMs) through this process over the last five years. To document the care provided by this group, clinical data and outcomes are being collected prospectively from all practicing CPMs who agree to join the study, for all their midwifery clients expected to deliver in the year 2000 and for whom they provide continuity of care.
This study will provide evidence for clients, health maintenance organizations, insurers, and governing bodies to make informed decisions about the use of Certified Professional Midwives as health care providers. As the majority of these midwives' practices are homebirth based, care provided at home and transport from intended homebirths are focuses of the data collection. Other uses of the study include documentation of the population using CPMs, the types and rates of clinical intervention, maternal and fetal outcomes, and the evaluation of the success of midwifery-specific interventions. The data collection is complemented by validation and client satisfaction components. We expect to collect data on over 6,000 courses of care in the year 2000. We will describe recent homebirth research, discuss the design of the current study and report on progress to date.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session , the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Discuss the recent international research regarding out of hospital birth. 2. Articulate the epidemiologic strengths and limiations of the design of the CPM 2000 study. 3. List three potential uses of the study and how midwifery-specific issues will be addressed
Keywords: MCH Epidemiology, Birth Outcomes
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.