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June 11, 2026
Visit the ER for serious illness or injuries when you need emergency care. Visit urgent care for minor injuries or illnesses that need same-day care.
Midwife care in Wisconsin
At Ascension Wisconsin, our certified nurse-midwives provide individualized, compassionate and evidence-based care to women and their families.
Midwife care in Wisconsin
At Ascension Wisconsin, our certified nurse-midwives provide individualized, compassionate and evidence-based care to women and their families.
Midwife care at Ascension Wisconsin
Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are licensed healthcare professionals with expertise in providing care to women during pregnancy, labor, delivery and the postpartum recovery period.
In addition to providing care during pregnancy and childbirth, certified nurse-midwives are also primary healthcare providers to women throughout their lifespan. This care includes, but isn’t limited to, gynecology, annual exams and well-woman care.
Why choose a certified nurse-midwife?
We recommend certified nurse-midwives for a variety of healthcare reasons, including:
- Personalized, holistic healthcare focused on your emotional, mental and physical well-being
- Woman- and family-centered care
- Women have an increased sense of control and satisfaction
- Significant focus on prenatal and birth education
- Provide healthcare across the lifespan
Working with a certified nurse-midwife provides positive healthcare outcomes, including:
- Lower rates of cesarean (C-section) births
- Lower use of epidural anesthesia (though epidurals are an option)
- Lower rates of premature births
- Higher rates of vaginal deliveries after a cesarean (VBAC)
- Higher rates of breast-feeding
Midwifery: Fact vs. fiction
Myth: Midwives only provide care during pregnancy and childbirth.
Fact: In addition to providing care during pregnancy and childbirth, certified nurse-midwives are also primary healthcare providers to women throughout their lifespan. This care includes, but isn’t limited to, gynecologic issues, annual exams and well-woman care.
Myth: Midwives only attend births at home.
Fact: CNMs work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, medical offices, clinics, birth centers and homes. At Ascension Wisconsin, we offer the freedom and flexibility of midwifery care with the safety and security of a hospital birth.
Myth: I can’t get an epidural or have pain medication if I see a midwife.
Fact: Nurse midwives can prescribe pain medication and patients still have access to all the resources that the hospital offers, including anesthesia as needed. Your midwife will work with you to develop a personalized birth plan. Midwifery patients often use other pain management methods, such as birthing balls, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy and more to help cope with labor pain.
Myth: My baby and I won’t be as safe with a midwife as I would with a doctor.
Fact: A CNM is an independent health care provider who first trained as a registered nurse and then continued education to earn a Master of Science in Nursing, specializing in midwifery. If a high-risk situation arises, a midwife will consult with a doctor.
Myth: I’m too high risk to see a midwife.
Fact: Midwives do spend more time studying what is normal during pregnancy and birth. However, CNMs are trained to manage common complications that occur and collaborate with doctors when needed. Schedule an appointment with one of our midwives to discuss if midwifery care is a safe option for you.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or call 911.
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