Questions to ask midwife



How was she trained?

Was it in a home, birth center, or hospital setting?

Is she licensed and/or certified? If not, why not?

Are former clients and community members available who can vouch for her?

Is she active in, and well regarded by, her local midwifery community?

What is her experience? How many births has she attended since completing her training?

Has she worked in a variety of settings and practices? Has she completed neonatal resuscitation recently?

Does she regularly attend midwifery conferences, seminars, and workshops to further her education?

Does she participate in peer review?

What do her services include? Do they include complete prenatal care?

How long are the appointments?

Does she do home visits (how many), sibling preparation, postpartum follow-up (how much), lab work, prepared childbirth classes?

What are her fees?

Does she accept insurance, and what portion of her fee will be paid by your plan?

What does her fee include?

What if you move or change your mind during the pregnancy?

Is her fee competitive? How does she want it to be paid?

Does she work alone, with a partner, or with assistants?

If there are several assistants involved in the practice, can you choose one to be at your birth?

What, exactly, is the assistant's role?

Does she have a ceiling on the number of births she attends per month?

Is this in keeping with the amount of assistance she has?

What would happen if two or more births were running simultaneously?

Has she ever missed a birth? If so, what were the circumstances?

Who would back her up in case of personal emergency?

Is it a midwife outside the practice?

Will you have a chance to meet her before the birth?

What is her communications system like?

Is she available twenty-four hours a day at all times?

Is she planning to go on vacation during your pregnancy?

If so, who will be on call, and how reachable is she?

Can you get the same information on this backup midwife as you are now requesting in this interview? (This is especially critical if her vacation will take place during your third trimester.)

What experience has she had with complications, and which ones?

Has she ever had to resuscitate a baby?

How would she handle a hemorrhage or a stillbirth? Under what circumstances would she transfer care during pregnancy?

Would she transport during labor?

What equipment does she bring to births: oxygen, IV fluids, resuscitation equipment for baby, medications for hemorrhage, homeopathy and herbs, vitamin K for baby? What does she offer for pain relief?

What is her medical backup like?

Does she have a particular backup physician and hospital?

Is this covered by your insurance? If not, what would be approximate costs to you?

Do you have the option of transferring to a hospital that does take your insurance? If so, how is this arranged?

If she has a particular backup physician and hospital, what are her privileges in that setting? If you do not have insurance, is there any type of retroactive coverage (state aid) available or pediatric backup?

What is her philosophy of care?

Why is she a midwife?

What are her basic beliefs about birth?

Does she encourage family participation, father or partner participation, and how?

What are her expectations of you regarding self-care in pregnancy?

Do you like her, feel comfortable in her presence?

Can you be honest with her?

Will she be honest with you?

Can you trust her, and yet feel free to make your own decisions?

Do you want her at your birth?