The Way We Talk About Midwifery Care Matters

The editorial board of the New York Times recently published an op-ed in praise of midwives, spurred by new guidelines out of the United Kingdom advising that low-risk pregnancies actually fare better out of hospital settings and under midwifery care. This editorial gives weight and visibility to an argument many in the birthing community have been making for some time: that midwives should be the standard of care for low-risk, healthy pregnancies, as well as key players in more complicated pregnancies. However, even as it championed midwives, the Timeseditorial board unwittingly slipped into language that suggests midwifery care is a second-tier option—language that reflects broader public attitudes throughout the United States.

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