“Childbirth is
a labor of
love.”
Why Choose a
Certified Nurse
Midwife?
Kim Vittorio,
APN/CNM
Certified Nurse
Midwife
igh
wa
y2
0W
est
Freeport
The birth of your baby
The word midwife describes a woman who
is “with women” at birth. Midwives practice
under a philosophy of care that focuses on
the specific needs of women, empowers
women to actively participate in their
healthcare and minimizes unnecessary
intervention. Certified nurse midwives are
highly educated professionals who work
collaboratively with physicians.
IL Route 75
.
nson St
Stephe
.
Park Blvd.
is a miraculous time for you and your family—
an affirmation of life and hope for the future.
Midwives approach birth as a natural process
rather than a potential medical emergency.
They are trained to recognize complications
early and refer you for appropriate care.
Personalized and participatory care is the
hallmark of the nurse midwife; our philosophy
stresses respect for the woman as an active
participant in her own healthcare and birth.
Galena Ave.
Pearl City Rd.
Blvd
Lincoln
Empire St.
Main St.
IL Route 26 South
(West Ave.)
.H
Harlem Ave.
U.S
25 North Harlem Avenue
Freeport, IL 61032
Phone: 815-599-6000
Toll Free: 800-747-4131
The Natural Choice for
labor and
birth
www.fhn.org
4218_0110
“Childbirth is
a labor of
love.”
Why Choose a
Certified Nurse
Midwife?
Kim Vittorio,
APN/CNM
Certified Nurse
Midwife
igh
wa
y2
0W
est
Freeport
The birth of your baby
The word midwife describes a woman who
is “with women” at birth. Midwives practice
under a philosophy of care that focuses on
the specific needs of women, empowers
women to actively participate in their
healthcare and minimizes unnecessary
intervention. Certified nurse midwives are
highly educated professionals who work
collaboratively with physicians.
IL Route 75
.
nson St
Stephe
.
Park Blvd.
is a miraculous time for you and your family—
an affirmation of life and hope for the future.
Midwives approach birth as a natural process
rather than a potential medical emergency.
They are trained to recognize complications
early and refer you for appropriate care.
Personalized and participatory care is the
hallmark of the nurse midwife; our philosophy
stresses respect for the woman as an active
participant in her own healthcare and birth.
Galena Ave.
Pearl City Rd.
Blvd
Lincoln
Empire St.
Main St.
IL Route 26 South
(West Ave.)
.H
Harlem Ave.
U.S
25 North Harlem Avenue
Freeport, IL 61032
Phone: 815-599-6000
Toll Free: 800-747-4131
The Natural Choice for
labor and
birth
www.fhn.org
4218_0110
Your primary healthcare provider
As a registered nurse with a masters degree
and further specialized training, a nurse
midwife can serve as your primary healthcare
provider, treating you and pre-scribing any
medications you may need. Nurse midwives
approach puberty and menopause as
normal life events. These are times when
women need special education or support,
but nobody needs to “cure” or “fix” them.
Midwives believe that if women are given the
correct information, they can make safe and
satisfying choices.
Obstetrical and gynecological
services
A nurse midwife can also provide routine
ob/gyn services including family planning,
annual pelvic exams and pap smears, and
menopausal care. She also can help you plan
a healthy pregnancy.
Prenatal services
If you’re in good health, your nurse midwife
will care for you throughout your pregnancy.
Your nurse midwife can order routine tests
during your pregnancy, such as testing for
blood type and iron levels in your blood.
She can also make arrangements for any
other prenatal testing you would need
to have done, including ultrasounds and
amniocentesis. Many women choose a nurse
midwife for their pregnancy care because
they seek a healthcare provider who focuses
on one-on-one time with her patients. Your
nurse midwife will work to educate you and
work with you to plan your baby’s healthy
birth.
Because her practice is dedicated to healthy
mothers, a nurse midwife has more time
available to spend with each patient.
If a situation comes up that requires the care
of an obstetrician, your nurse midwife will refer
you to an FHN physician. These situations could
include preeclampsia (pregnancy-related high
blood pressure) or the discovery that you’re
carrying more than one baby.
Before you give birth, your nurse midwife may
work on a birth plan with you, listing your
preferences for your labor and delivery. Working
with a midwife does not mean you have to
choose a natural (medication-free) birth—your
nurse midwife can arrange for pain relief via
injections or through an epidural. The choice is
yours, and your nurse midwife will do everything
she can to help you have your baby your own way.
Labor and delivery
Nurse midwives specialize in labor support and
uncomplicated vaginal delivery.
If complications arise while you are laboring, your
nurse midwife won’t hesitate to intervene for the
safety of you and/or your baby. Her collaborating
physician is always on call and available if
needed for consultation or backup.
History
Nurse midwives have been helping American
mothers since 1925, when the Frontier Nursing
Service in Kentucky offered the services of
specially trained registered nurses to provide
childbearing and delivery care, as well as family
healthcare, to residents in the Appalachian
region.
In 1932, the Maternity Center Association of
New York City opened the first nurse midwife
education program in the United States.
Public health nurses in the program earned
a certificate in nurse midwifery through the
program.
Now, all nurse midwife programs are offered
through colleges and universities accredited
by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
There are 47 accredited programs in the U.S.
Graduates of these programs must pass a
rigorous national certification exam to be
certified as nurse midwives.
Fast Facts about Midwives from the
American College of Nurse Midwives
•Certified nurse-midwives are registered
nurses who have completed graduate-level
training in midwifery and who have passed
a national certification exam.
•Nurse-midwifery practice is legal in all 50
states and the District of Columbia.
•Nurse-midwives can prescribe medication
in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
•In 2005, nurse-midwives attended 11.2
percent of all vaginal births in the United
States.
“Childbirth is
a labor of
love.”
Why Choose a
Certified Nurse
Midwife?
Kim Vittorio,
APN/CNM
Certified Nurse
Midwife
igh
wa
y2
0W
est
Freeport
The birth of your baby
The word midwife describes a woman who
is “with women” at birth. Midwives practice
under a philosophy of care that focuses on
the specific needs of women, empowers
women to actively participate in their
healthcare and minimizes unnecessary
intervention. Certified nurse midwives are
highly educated professionals who work
collaboratively with physicians.
IL Route 75
.
nson St
Stephe
.
Park Blvd.
is a miraculous time for you and your family—
an affirmation of life and hope for the future.
Midwives approach birth as a natural process
rather than a potential medical emergency.
They are trained to recognize complications
early and refer you for appropriate care.
Personalized and participatory care is the
hallmark of the nurse midwife; our philosophy
stresses respect for the woman as an active
participant in her own healthcare and birth.
Galena Ave.
Pearl City Rd.
Blvd
Lincoln
Empire St.
Main St.
IL Route 26 South
(West Ave.)
.H
Harlem Ave.
U.S
25 North Harlem Avenue
Freeport, IL 61032
Phone: 815-599-6000
Toll Free: 800-747-4131
The Natural Choice for
labor and
birth
www.fhn.org
4218_0110