Midwifery

Overview

Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) are highly skilled professionals who have received formal training in primary care and women’s health from a nationally accredited program. Research shows that having midwifery care during pregnancy and labor can lead to:

Fewer births requiring surgery
Fewer interventions for mother and baby
Higher satisfaction rates

We strive to provide you with the birth experience that you and your family desire and need, ranging from natural, low intervention childbirth to the use of epidurals or higher level evaluation and monitoring. The midwives work to promote normal, healthy birth in a setting where medical resources are available if needed.

What Is the Difference Between a Doula and a Midwife?

Doulas are individuals chosen by a birthing family to provide uninterrupted physical and emotional support throughout labor. They are frequently an integral part of the labor team, surrounding the patient and their partner with encouragement and suggestions for working through labor.

Licensed Midwives are clinicians specializing in reproductive healthcare. They consult and collaborate with other healthcare clinicians based on the birthing family's needs. Midwifery care is grounded in the philosophy that childbearing is a normal physiologic process that is interlaced with the social, emotional, cultural, spiritual and psychological background of a birthing person. Midwifery care is holistic and in partnership with birthing individuals and their families. Learn more about midwifery in New York State.

UR Medicine's Approach

At the Midwifery Group, our goal is to provide you with compassionate, competent care focused on educating and preventing illness. We want to provide you with options, working to help you make the best decisions for you and your family. As our patient, you can expect to receive individualized care from an educated and professional care provider.

We provide care from early adolescence through pregnancy, menopause, and beyond, including:

Pregnancy and Birth Services

Preconception counseling
Prenatal care and health education
Centering Pregnancy Program
RAMP (Rochester Adolescent Maternity Program), a specially designated clinic for pregnant teenagers up to age 19.
VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)
Labor care at Strong Memorial Hospital
Postpartum care
Breastfeeding care

Prenatal Visits

Following a detailed initial visit with a nurse and then a midwife, prenatal visits are typically 15-20 minutes long. Visits are monthly at first, then more frequent as pregnancy progresses. A visit will include checking your weight and blood pressure, measuring the growth of your baby, listening to the baby’s heartbeat and exploring any problems or questions that you may have. Our goal is to get to know you and your partner and/or family members and understand what your thoughts and goals are for your pregnancy and birth and participate in shared decision making together.

CenteringPregnancy^® Program

Centering is a model of prenatal care where individuals receive their prenatal care in a group setting. With Centering, you have more time to connect with your provider, to learn about the pregnancy and to build relationships. This program is currently paused, but scheduled to begin in 2025.

Rochester Adolescent Maternity Program

The Rochester Adolescent Maternity Program (RAMP) is designed to provide specialized obstetrical care for pregnant teenagers up to 19 years of age. Through RAMP, you will receive medical care, ultrasounds, learn about pregnancy, labor and birth, and receive information about newborn care.

Gynecologic Care

Annual exams
Cervical cancer screening (Pap testing)
Breast health exams
Contraception (all reversible methods including IUDs and arm implants)
Treatment for gynecological problems (including vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, pelvic pain, abnormal bleeding, and breast pain)
Colposcopy (an exam of the cervix, vagina, and vulva)
Endometrial biopsy (testing of tissue from the uterus)
Perimenopause/menopausal care
Immunizations (including Gardasil and flu shots)

If you have a health concern that requires further attention, we can easily refer you to one of our consulting physicians or other area providers. We are also able to refer you to other health care providers like chiropractors, physical therapists, counselors, etc., as necessary.

Our Patients Say

"The calm and confident demeanor of the midwifery group made the very natural condition of being pregnant (which at times did not feel natural to me!) a positive empowering time. "

Video: Centering is a model of prenatal care where women receive their prenatal care in a group setting. Learn more about the UR Medicine Midwifery Centering Program.

What Sets Us Apart?

All of the midwives at the Midwifery Group are Registered Nurses who hold graduate degrees and are members of the American College of Nurse Midwives.

They’re also faculty members in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the University of Rochester. Combined, the group has over 100 years of midwifery experience in primary care, obstetrics, and gynecology.

At UR Medicine, we believe everyone deserves access to affordable, expert health care and information. We welcome most insurance plans. For patients paying out of pocket, we offer a discounted/sliding fee schedule based on your family size and income. No one will be denied care for medically necessary services because of an inability to pay.

Our Patients Say

"We never felt like we were just another patient to the midwives; they all seemed genuinely interested in the health and welfare of our baby. The support and attention we received was appreciated more than we could ever say, and we would recommend their services to anyone planning to have a child."