Autonomy of the Midwifery Profession

To practice autonomously, midwives must have:

Official recognition as primary caregivers

Prescriptive privileges for the pharmaceuticals they need for safe practice, such as pitocin to stop hemorrhage

Collaborative relationships with physicians--in other words, there must be no requirement for physician supervision of midwives, or that physicians be present when midwives attend women, or that midwives have to have signed agreements with backup physicians

The right to attend birth in any setting--home, birth center, hospital

Insurance reimbursement

Their services should be paid for by the government in countries with public health care systems

Regulatory boards whose members are midwives, not nurses or physicians

Regulations that allow for a broad scope of practice, including gynecological well-woman care and attendance at VBACs, breeches, and twins

Hospital privileges and the right to transport women to hospitals and attend them there if a planned home birth results in a transport

The Latin- American & Caribbean Network for the Humanization of Childbirth adopt these autonomy concept for the practice of midwifery. Given by, Robbie Davis-Floyd, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Texas . It is useful for laws, guidelines or regulations.