Midwifery in Massachusetts

Midwives say they can help women have better, more natural births, and in many cases, they encourage women to have their babies at home.  The medical establishment is solidly against home births, but have begun to support nurse midwives attending births in hospitals.  While some say this is a step in the right direction, others say that it just continues to perpetuate treating pregnant women like patients, and that leads to more invasive care than is necessary for most.

Now, new legislation on Beacon Hill seeks to establish training guidelines and a registry of midwives.  This week on Radio Boston, we'll take a look at the midwife community in Massachusetts, and ask questions about whether our system of giving birth is really the right one for women and their babies.