Ohioans for the Preservation of Traditional Midwifery

So, do all midwives and homebirthers feel the way you do?

Nope. There are differing opinions as to what effects this bill will have on midwifery in Ohio. OPTM is respectful of this- which is why we are only against a bill calling for mandatory licensure. We would fully support a bill calling for voluntary licensure. 

Why haven't you discussed this with OMA? 

We have. Midwives have expressed their opinions within an OMA group setting, Homebirth advocates have disccused their concerns both in personal emails and on an online public forum. In addition, last December, a group of midwives and advocates met with the president of OMA and other supporters of the bill. We were open and honest about our opinions and also pledged our support for a bill that would call for voluntary licensure. Our feelings, opinions and requests have been ignored. 

Isn't a Certified Practicing Midwife (CPM) already licensed? 

No. CPM certification through North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and licensure are not one in the same. The NARM credentials for CPM certification were written by midwives and for midwives. NARM is a national certification that has nothing to do with any US governing body. Licensure is granted by individual States and, ultimately, the practice of midwifery is controlled and overseen by the State. While the bill calls for a midwifery board to oversee all Ohio midwives, the members will be governor- appointed and thus will have to answer to the State. It is unknown at this point if an OB/GYN will be on the board. 

But one of the biggest supporters of this bill is an HBAC mom; surely she would not allow the bill to ban or limit availability of HBAC!

We believe that the people included in writing and garnering support for this bill have good intentions. Still, once the bill is "out there", there is no way of knowing how it will mutate. There is no way to ensure that HBAC will be as available as it is now. No one knows what will happen if this bill is passed. Anyone who promises that HBAC will be as available as it is now is hoping and wishing and not really promising. 

But isn't midwifery illegal now? 

NO.

Won't this bill do good things for midwives? 

No one really knows. If all goes as planned, this bill will do good things for midwives who want to be licensed by the State and carry drugs while midwives who do not want to be licensed will either have to retire or practice illegally. 

Won't this bill improve access to midwifery services? 

Again, no one knows. If all goes as planned, for women who want licensed midwives, they will get what they want. For women who do not want a licensed midwife, they not be able to get what they want. If things go awry and HBACS, breeches and twins are risked out of homebirth practice, then mothers in these situations will not get what they want. The thought is that, should the bill pass, more people will want to become midwives. I disprove this theory because I do not want to become a midwife if I must be licensed. So, should the bill pass, Ohio has one less midwife already. 

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