Why are midwife statistics so impressive?  There is no single reason as to why most midwives have lower c-section rates, lower infant mortality and higher birth weight babies. 

One important reason is that they shy away from medical intervention when it is not necessary.  They reserve such procedures for those that need them.  Statistics prove that this unnecessary intervention can cause negative results.  Another reason for the midwives success is that many midwives understand the emotional and physical needs of the laboring woman.  They have been described as having an "open Presence".  Her personality and nurturing care encourages the mother to surrender to labor and facilitate its progress.  Midwives stay with the mother throughout labor.  Studies have shown that continuous emotional support can reduce labor pain, labor length and incidence of complications in labor.  Finally, the most important factor is her conscious or unconscious understanding of the laboring mind response.  Meeting the laboring mothers emotional needs is as important as meeting her physical needs.