Babies delivered by certified nurse midwives, CNMs, were significantly less likely to die than those delivered by physicians, according to a new federal study. 

The study by the National Center for Health Statistics is the first to compare infant mortality risks for all births attended by CNMs against physicians.  After accounting for a wide variety of social and medical risk factors, the study of 3.0 million, single, vaginal births of 35 to 43 weeks gestation in 1991 found those attended by CNMs showed a 19% lower infant mortality rate that similar births attended by physicians.

Moreover, the number of cases involving neonatal mortality (deaths that occurred with in the first  28 days of life) and low birth weight were a third lower among births attended by midwives.

Midwives spend more time with patients during prenatal visits and remain at the side of the woman in labor, researchers explained while physicians care is more episodic.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

June 2, 1998