Midwife means... with Women Conference
The Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives recently brought the community of midwives together for the 13th Annual Region V-18 Midwife means… with Woman conference on the Research Medical center campus. The evening event featured Ricki Lake’s documentary, The Business of Being Born. Clinical presentations followed all day on Saturday, with a great turnout!
Sherri Franklin, CNM from Fort Riley, KS is pictured here presenting on water birth in a hospital setting.
Research
Heather Harper, BSN, Student Nurse Midwife, KUSON, just completed an on-line survey querying CNMs, SNMs, chapter and non-chapter members of ACNM about their perceptions of emerging issues for KS midwives, consumer education, barriers to practice, involvement in a re-organized KS chapter, and suggestions to increase CNM births attended in KS. Results will be disseminated in May. Preliminary findings show a response rate of > 50% of participants surveyed, and great interest in organizing a KS chapter that addresses the need for enhanced education of the CNM role, marketing of CNMs, and legislative advocacy issues to begin work on. Stay tuned…
Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM is currently conducting two research studies. A quantitative study investigating “Perinatal Stress in Pregnancy” is currenlty recruiting subjects at four sites in Greater KC where CNMs are assisting in the recruitment process. Thanks to: Women’s Care, For Women Only, Mercy and Truth Medical Missions, and Arbor Creek OB/GYN for their assistance in this longitudinal study. Early findings suggest that prenatal stress and depression are similar in pregnant mothers who are insured by private pay and KS Medicaid, however increased risk for postpartum depression is evident at this time in the Medicaid group. The study is recruiting through July, and follows the mothers to 2 months postpartum. The second study is a qualitative inquiry exploring the Perceived Role of Peer Counselors in supporting initiation of Breastfeeding in Adolescents. Many thanks to the KUSON SNMs who have participated in these study’s over several semesters.
