Midwife vs. Obgyn – Similarities and Differences
Midwife vs. Obgyn is a phrase you would not want to skip your mind as a pregnant mom.
One of the most crucial things to determine is who will look after you during pregnancy until delivery.
The next question is whether you should see a midwife or an obgyn? Therefore, read through this article to get the answers to your questions.
Midwife Vs Obgyn: Similarities Between Midwife and Obgyn
To discover the best option for you, let’s look at the similarities between midwives and obgyns.
Also, what to look for when deciding who to entrust with your care. They include the following:
1. Midwife and Obgyn are Committed to Your Safety and Comfort
Midwife and Obgyn are tremendously passionate about their job.
They also want to ensure that you and your baby are happy, healthy, and safe during your pregnancy.
So, as your pregnancy progresses, they’ll work with you to respect your pregnancy goals and birth plan while also providing their knowledge and information on all of your treatment options, including pain management during labor and delivery.
2. Midwife and Obgyn are Both Highly Trained and Certified
Midwives and Obgyn are women’s health and pregnancy professionals with considerable specialized training and expertise.
Furthermore, each has earned a relevant qualification, indicating that they have proved knowledge and proficiency in their field.
3. Midwife and Obgyn Strive to Give You the Best Experience
You most likely have a vision or plan for how your prenatal care, labor, and delivery should go.
However, depending on the care provider you choose, you may believe you need to sacrifice experience for knowledge (or vice versa). That, however, is not the case.
Midwives, Obgyns, and pregnancy care teams at some health centers try to deliver your baby in your preferred manner.
Despite who you select as your primary specialist, they all want to help you have the treatment and childbirth experience you desire.
4. Midwife and Obgyn are Committed to Your Safety and Comfort
Midwives and Obgyns are tremendously enthusiastic about their work.
They also want to ensure that you and your baby are happy, healthy, and safe during your pregnancy.
So, as your pregnancy progresses, they’ll work with you to honor your pregnancy goals and birth plan while also providing their knowledge and information on all of your care options, including pain management during labor and delivery.
Midwife Vs Obgyn: Differences between a Midwife and an Obgyn
1. Midwives and Obgyn Have Different Credentials and Educational Backgrounds
Although they work in the same sector, midwives and obgyns have different training, academic prerequisites, and qualifications.
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Obgyns are Medical Doctors
An obstetrician-gynecologist, or Obgyn, is a medical doctor who specializes in women’s reproductive health and prenatal care and delivery.
They’re also trained in surgery and can execute Cesarean sections (C-sections) if necessary. For your annual well-visit woman, you may already see an Obgyn.
Obgyns go through four years of medical school, a four-year residency program, and a three-year fellowship program.
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Board-Eligible vs. Board-Certified Obgyns
They complete their residency and obtain their license to practice.
After that, Obgyns, like other medical practitioners, can seek certification from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG).
Board certification is a mark of distinction that indicates a doctor has gone above and beyond the basic educational requirements in their specialty.
Passing a qualifying exam, producing an extensive case list demonstrating skill in various categories, and finally giving a certification exam are all required steps to certification.
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Midwives are Trained and Experienced Health Professionals
Many midwives, like Obgyns, can provide a wide range of women’s health treatments, including annual examinations, birth control, and menopausal therapy.
But it’s for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care that they’re best known.
To fulfill your needs during your pregnancy, they collaborate with the rest of your health care team (e.g., your Obgyn or family doctor). After their delivery, many women continue to see their midwives for care.
There are Three Levels of Midwifery Credentials:
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Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
Professional midwives who have been certified by the North American Registry of Midwives have shown their knowledge and skills in providing midwifery services.
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Certified Midwife (CM)
Certified midwives are non-nurses who have gained a post-graduate degree in midwifery. Also, they have been certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board.
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Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
Registered nurses (RNs) with a master’s or doctorate in nursing are certified nurse-midwives. The American Midwifery Certification Board has also approved them.
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Lay Midwives
They aren’t qualified or licensed, but they have completed an apprenticeship or obtained informal training.
2. Midwife and Obgyn Have Different Birthing Specialties
One of the essential distinctions between a Midwife and an Obgyn is the birthing specialties. Why? Depending on your needs, they may require specific care for you and your baby’s health safety.
You may also be looking for someone with particular experience based on your interests. Below are a few examples:
1. Water Births
Water births (or tub births) are becoming more common in hospital settings where an Obgyn is the primary care provider.
However, they are also prevalent among midwives. If you’re thinking about hiring a midwife, the chances are that water births are one of their specialties.
2. High-Risk vs. Low-Risk Pregnancies
High-risk or complicated pregnancies, such as those involving twins or women with pre-existing medical issues, can be managed by an Obgyn. On the other hand, midwives are well-equipped to handle low-risk pregnancies and births.
3. C-Sections
C-sections cannot be performed by a midwife, whether planned ahead of time or required to deliver your baby safely.
One of the reasons obgyns can treat high-risk or complex pregnancies is because they have the surgical training to do scheduled, unexpected, and emergency C-sections.
3. Midwifes Sometimes Deliver Babies Outside a Hospital Setting
Obgyns nearly always deliver babies in a birth center attached to a hospital. Midwives, on the other hand, can have babies in a variety of ways:
1. Freestanding Birth Centers
Freestanding birth centers are not affiliated with a hospital and are intended to provide a comfortable, non-medical setting for giving birth.
While some freestanding birth centers have an Obgyn on staff, midwives are typically the primary caregivers.
2. Home Births
Midwives are the professionals who help the labor and delivery process when women with low-risk pregnancies plan home births.
3. Hospital-Based Birth Center
A midwife, remarkably certified nurse-midwives, can work as part of a hospital’s larger care team.
Giving delivery in a hospital is the safest option. Midwives can provide more pain management alternatives and, if necessary, connect you with other expert care.
All of our midwives give birth in hospitals or birth centers.
Who is Midwife?
A midwife is an expert health care provider who helps healthy women during labor, delivery, and postpartum care.
Midwives can help mothers deliver babies at birthing centers or homes. However, most of them can also have babies in hospitals.
Women who prefer minimal medical help and have experienced no difficulties during pregnancy frequently choose midwives.
Because giving birth to giving birth to a single child is easier than giving birth to twins.
Many doctors advise against hiring a midwife unless it is under the supervision of a doctor.
What Does a Nurse-Midwife Do?
Nurse-midwives specialize in the care of women. Delivering babies, giving prenatal and postpartum care, aiding obstetricians, and performing routine check-ups on pregnant patients are some of their most common responsibilities.
One of their most essential obligations is to assist moms in giving birth to their kids in a safe and natural manner.
They assist patients in managing their labor and assure the safety of both mothers and newborns during delivery.
During C-section births, they may work under the direction of or in partnership with physicians.
Who is Obgyn?
Obgyn cater to women throughout their pregnancy and even after putting them to bed. Besides that, Obgyn also delivers babies. They train Obgyn to do all of these things.
Birth control, delivery, and menopause are just a few of the critical health topics that your Obgyn will address.
An Obgyn can also conduct surgery for pelvic organ or urinary tract disorders and check for cancer and treat infections.
Because Obgyns deal with such personal and sensitive health issues, seeing one may be troubling to some women, especially for the first time.
You might be embarrassed at having a doctor see the most private parts of your body.
Or you may be reluctant to discuss your most intimate issues with an Obgyn.
Midwife Vs Obgyn: What to Consider Before Choosing Either Midwife or Obgyn for Your Delivery
It’s a highly personal decision to trust someone with your pregnancy and child’s delivery.
Your objectives, preferences, health, and safety should all be considered. Some things to think about while you check your alternatives are:
1. Is Your Pregnancy Considered High Risk?
If your pregnancy is considered high-risk or complex, you’ll work with an Obgyn who may work with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
Remember that midwives exclusively attend to low-risk pregnancies and deliveries.
What is the definition of a high-risk pregnancy? They may consider you high risk if you have a pre-existing medical condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Your pregnancy may be deemed high-risk and complicated if you’re expecting twins, triplets, or other multiples.
2. Where Do You Want to Deliver?
A midwife is usually at the top of your list of potential care providers if you’re low risk and considering a home delivery or a freestanding birth center.
However, most deliveries take place in hospitals or birth centers, where both Midwives and Obgyns can deliver newborns.
The secure place to have your baby is always a hospital.
Most Midwives and Obgyns, on the other hand, exclusively deliver at one or two hospitals.
As a result, when deciding between a Midwife and an Obgyn, you may also decide on a hospital where you will give birth.
3. How Do You Want to Have Your Baby?
If you’re low-risk and considering a water delivery or hypnobirthing, you’ll want to choose an experienced midwife.
However, regardless of risk, if you prefer to have your care provided by a medical practitioner, an Obgyn may be the best choice.
Finding a midwife or an Obgyn who delivers at a hospital is essential if you want a variety of birthing and pain treatment options to be flexible on the big day.
4. How Do You Want to Manage Pain in Labor and Delivery?
Both Midwives and Obgyns can offer you various options, whether you wish to avoid pain medication or are sure you want an epidural.
On the other hand, midwives frequently specialize in natural or low-medicated births.
Because of this, it is essential to inquire about the experience of any midwives you’re contemplating.
If you select a home birth or a standalone birth center, your pain management options will be limited.
So, if you want additional options or just peace of mind, make sure you choose a hospital to give birth in.
5. What Type of Team Do They Work with?
The person you choose will almost certainly be a member of a wider group.
Some teams are multi-disciplinary, which means they collaborate with various professionals.
Other teams may be more focused on their area of expertise.
3 Reasons to Know the Kind of Team Your Midwife or Obgyn Works with
For several reasons, it’s critical to know what kind of team your Midwife or Obgyn works with:
- If you select a midwife to deliver your baby, make sure they can coordinate care with an Obgyn and other experts if problems arise.
- Depending on the agreement type, you may not see your Midwife or Obgyn at every prenatal appointment. As a result, figuring out who you’ll be meeting regularly is a good idea.
- The same Midwife or Obygn who will deliver your baby may or may not provide prenatal care. In most cases, a Midwife and an Obgyn share hospital on-call responsibilities with a group of other specialists in their field. That means “your” doctor could not be available when the baby arrives. Knowing who’s on their team for peace of mind is good.
6. The Kind of Ongoing Care You Want
A midwife or an obgyn can manage your reproductive health.
So, while you consider your alternatives, consider whether you want to see someone for years (and possibly pregnancies) to come.
From preventive care to fertility, consider the traits and areas of competence significant to you.
7. Kind of Coverage Your Insurance Plan Offer
Many women are curious about the cost difference between a Midwife and an Obgyn (midwife vs obgyn).
The cost of delivering a baby, on the other hand, is mainly determined by where you birth and what style of delivery you have, not by who delivers your kid.
It hangs on the type of health insurance you have. Home births may be the only exception. Most insurance policies do not cover deliveries at home.
Furthermore, it’s conceivable that your insurance plan does not cover every hospital or birthing center.
Similarly, there is differing insurance coverage for C-sections and vaginal deliveries.
So, before you schedule any visits, check with your health plan to make sure you’re covered.
There is nothing like a stupid question. These are the types of calls that member service employees are trained to handle.
Bottom Line
Both midwives, also known as nurse-midwives, and obgyns have the privilege of welcoming new arrivals. They also treat women’s health issues and provide preventive care. However, Obgyns can take up more critical tasks like C-sections. I believe this article has put you through what you need to know about midwife vs obgyn. It’s now up to you as a pregnant woman to decide who will look after you during pregnancy until delivery.
