University of Minnesota Physicians (M Physicians) certified nurse-midwives play an integral role in pregnancy, childbirth and gynecologic and reproductive health. Many women choose a midwife because of the personalized, holistic approach they bring to a patient's care plan. Our midwives offer the full spectrum of care services for both health and wellness as well as provide care that meets the health needs of women in each stage of their lives.
Some of the benefits of choosing a midwife for prenatal care include low cesarean (c-section) rates and high success rates of Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBACs). M Physicians midwives had a c-section rate of 12.7% and a VBAC rate of 79.5% in 2018. Our midwives tailor their care to meet the needs of each patient and prefer minimal technological intervention, stressing the importance of prenatal education and hands-on care during labor, birth and postpartum care. They also support multiple techniques for pain management during labor, including labor slings, birth balls, massage or use of a tub or shower. Additionally, our certified nurse-midwives are qualified to order pain medication, like epidurals, and perform medical procedures.
Midwives are well-versed in caring for women of all ages. Ann Forster Page, DNP, APRN, CNM, FACNM, is the M Physicians Nurse-Midwife Service Director and explained:
“We are trained to give attention and time to personalize the healthcare we provide, which includes a patient’s emotional needs. We have a great respect for the whole person and look to add to the safe, best practice care by offering a caring approach.”
Our midwives provide Well Woman exams, birth control and family planning, preconception counseling with referrals to genetic counseling, primary care services and peri-menopause and menopause care, including symptom management and hormone therapy if needed.
Many of our midwives hold faculty positions with the U of M School of Nursing and are involved as clinical instructors in the U of M Medical School with interprofessional learning for midwifery and nurse practitioner students, medical students, family medicine residents, OB/GYN residents and internal medicine residents.
“Many of our high risk doctors love learning about our ‘low-risk’ best practices to help labor progress and improve a patient’s comfort,” Forster Page said. “Midwives, as ‘experts at normal,’ are highly valued here. That means there is support for research to improve high-risk and low-risk care.”
Teaching and collaboration with other medical professionals keep midwives up-to-date in the field of nursing, midwifery and medicine, ensuring you receive the most advanced care.
For more information or to see one of our midwives at the Women’s Health Specialist Clinic, please call 612‑273‑7111.
Contact Information
Women's Health Specialists Clinic
Riverside Professional Building
Floor 3
606 24th Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55454