FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?
The midwives at Women’s Health Associates (WHA) provide gynecological and prenatal care in our offices in New Haven and North Branford. We care for families during their labors and birth at the York Street Campus of Yale New Haven Hospital.
I THOUGHT MIDWIVES ONLY DELIVERED BABIES, BUT MY FRIEND JUST TALKED TO HER CNM ABOUT GETTING AN IUD – WHAT DO YOU REALLY DO?
The midwives at Women’s Health Associates have a broad scope of practice that includes all non-surgical gynecologic care along with their prenatal and delivery expertise. We prescribe birth control pills and insert IUDs, we help with unusual bleeding patterns, we diagnose breast concerns and order mammograms, we work with clients on sexual issues, we advise on menopausal transitions and symptoms, we evaluate abnormal Pap smears and biopsy skin changes, we assess pelvic pain and bladder problems, as well as managing gyn infections. A usual day for a WHA midwife is split between pregnancy care and gyn care!
CAN I WEAR MY OWN CLOTHES? WILL I HAVE AN IV? WHAT ABOUT FETAL MONITORING? CAN I LABOR IN THE TUB?
Most of our low-risk patients will wear what they choose, will not have an IV, and will have their babies monitored intermittently. We want you out of bed and moving whenever possible. Music playing, supportive family & friends, natural light, hydrotherapy and breathing techniques will all be part of the picture.
We also care for a number of people with medical complications or other special circumstances where the benefits of IV access and continuous fetal monitoring outweigh any risks or inconvenience. We will discuss your individual situation at your visits and you will know what to expect.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
We want to get to know you, and we want to make sure you get the health care services you need. Our initial visits and yearly health maintenance exams are the time for us to ask you questions, screen you for medical and social risk factors, and make sure you are connected to other types of health care providers as needed. If specific issues are identified at those routine visits or you have more questions, we will invite you back for follow up so that each concern is given the time required. We might even give you homework between visits!
I HEARD THAT YALE-NEW HAVEN HOSPITA IS A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, BUT I WANT A LOW-INTERVENTION, NATURAL BIRTH!
Come and see us - the care with WHA midwives and our outstanding labor nurses is personal, individual, and represents your best bet for a vaginal birth! Our stats for the last 17 years are as supportive of natural childbirth and vaginal birth as you will find at any hospital in the state - cesarean section rate less than 20%, epidural rate around 50%, episiotomy rate less than 5%. Because we know families birth best when they are with trusted care provider
WILL INSURANCE COVER CARE FROM A CERTIFIED NURSE-MIDWIFE?
CNM services at the office and in the hospital are covered by both private insurance and Connecticut Medicaid. Women’s Health Associates participates with most major health insurance plans. Call our office for further information.
WHAT IF THERE ARE COMPLICATIONS OR I NEED SURGERY? HOW DOES THAT WORK?
It just so happens that we are also integrated in one of the best academic medical centers in the country, where the Yale New Haven Hospital main campus is equipped with the services to handle any emergency (maternal-fetal medicine specialists, a designated OB anesthesia team, and a Level 3 Neonatal ICU). The presence of these specialty providers is not felt by most of our clients who birth beautifully, naturally, and healthfully. But for those whose babies arrive premature, those who come into pregnancy with medical issues, and those who develop medical complications in pregnancy, our team of consultants work seamlessly with us to honor the spirit of midwifery care while getting you and your baby the medical attention needed.
WILL MY OWN MIDWIVES BE AT MY BIRTH?
Yes! One of the 4 of us is always on-call, and will meet you at the hospital when the time comes. One of our goals is to be the smallest, most personal practice in town, so we limit how many families we care for each month, and we do not cross-cover with any other midwifery practices. You know you will be cared for by a familiar, trusted person.
HOW ARE CERTIFIED NURSE-MIDWIVES (CNMS) TRAINED AND LICENSED?
Our CNMs are graduates of top-flight, accredited Master’s Degree programs, and they are members of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. We maintain certification through the American Midwifery Certification Board as well as Connecticut state licensure in both midwifery and nursing. Our midwives have over 50 years of combined experience!