Obstetrics and Midwifery: Choosing What’s Right for You

We know each woman has her own unique vision for her ideal pregnancy and delivery. Choosing between traditional obstetrics and midwifery early in your journey will help point you in the right direction. At University Hospitals, we offer the best of both worlds to give you the choice that best suits your medical needs and personal preferences.

Choosing A Traditional Obstetric Path

There are many reasons women choose a traditional obstetric path for their journey through pregnancy, labor and delivery. Those who are experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, for one, have the benefit of working directly with top obstetricians and maternal fetal medicine specialists who can diagnose and medically treat complications related to the mother or baby during the pregnancy or delivery.

Alternatively, some mothers already know they want an epidural to manage pain during labor and delivery while others just may want the security of knowing medical interventions are immediately available if they’re needed. If you identify with any of these reasons, choosing an obstetric path may be right for you.

Choosing Midwifery

If you’re experiencing a low-risk pregnancy and envision a more natural and holistic birthing journey, midwifery may be right for you. University Hospitals’ certified nurse -midwives assist women through labor and delivery, in addition to guiding and supporting them during prenatal and postpartum care, offering a personalized experience to mothers and their babies.

Midwifery provides many benefits, including the mind–body connection, using alternative techniques whenever possible in place of traditional medical interventions. For instance, midwives might use massage therapy or hydrotherapy, also known as water birth, instead of an epidural to manage pain during labor and delivery.

UH’s midwives work closely with obstetricians, gynecologists and maternal fetal specialists to ensure a safe, healthy and positive experience for every woman and baby.

Expert Care, State-of-the-Art Facilities With Either Path

Regardless of which path you choose, you can deliver your baby at one of our state-of-the-art UH facilities equipped with the latest technology to care for you and your baby. You will also have access to top obstetricians and newborn specialists at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s should any unexpected complications arise.