ACNM and A.C.N.M. Foundation Partner to Improve Maternity Care

Dec. 23, 2008 - PRLog -- Silver Spring, MD – As concern grows about the state of maternity care in the United States, the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and the A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc., call on women and public health advocates to support midwifery as a practical, affordable, and effective way to improve access, quality and value that women and their babies receive during pregnancy and childbirth.

Recently, Childbirth Connection, a respected nonprofit devoted to improving maternity care, released a report stating  that women who receive midwifery care are more likely to be satisfied with all phases of their care.  

Midwives are more popular than ever, as more women seek a personable approach to health care. Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) have been ushering American women through pregnancy and other normal stages of life since the early 1900s.  Today women seek midwives for primary as well as maternal care.  The midwifery model of care produces excellent outcomes for women and their babies.   The A.C.N.M. Foundation has worked with ACNM and its members since 1967 to increase awareness and promote opportunities for practicing midwives.

The A.C.N.M. Foundation supports a wide variety of programs that benefit the health of women and families, including community health grants, fellowships and scholarships for current and aspiring midwives, leadership development, and most recently, a public education program to raise awareness about the many benefits of choosing a midwife for both maternity and general women’s health care.
“For those who care about the provision of high-quality maternal, newborn and well-woman health services, supporting the A.C.N.M. Foundation is a powerful way to make a difference.  Each gift, large or small, benefits not only the profession of midwifery, but ultimately the women and newborns that midwives serve,” said Susan Berkun, A.C.N.M. Foundation Director.
As we approach the time of the year when many of us think about giving back to our community, please consider supporting the A.C.N.M. Foundation and its mission to promote excellence in health care for women, infants and families worldwide through the support of midwifery. To learn more about the Foundation, visit http://www.midwife.org/support.cfm.  To make a contribution, please go to http://www.shopacnm.com/foungif.html.   As a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, contributions to the A.C.N.M. Foundation are tax-deductible.

About the A.C.N.M Foundation, Inc.
The A.C. N.M. Foundation funds work to improve maternity care in the U.S. by educating the public about the benefits of midwifery care, sponsoring studies and research, and supporting nurse-midwives in training and more.  To support the work of the A.C.N.M. Foundation, visit http://www.shopacnm.com/foungif.html


About the American College of Nurse-Midwives
With roots dating to 1929, the American College of Nurse-Midwives is the oldest women's health care association in the U.S.  ACNM's mission is to promote the health and well-being of women and infants within their families and communities through the development and support of the profession of midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives.  Midwives believe every individual has the right to safe, satisfying health care with respect for human dignity and cultural variations.  More information about ACNM can be found at www.midwife.org.

8403 Colesville Road, Ste. 1550, Silver Spring, MD 20910-6374 • Phone: (240) 485-1800 • Fax: (240) 485-1818 • www.midwife.org

# # #

With roots dating to 1929, the American College of Nurse-Midwives is the oldest women's health care association in the U.S. ACNM's mission is to promote the health and well-being of women and infants within their families and communities through the development and support of the profession of midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives. Midwives believe every individual has the right to safe, satisfying health care with respect for human dignity and cultural variations. More information about ACNM can be found at www.midwife.org.