Asm. Autumn Burke's Bill Expanding Access for Women's Health Care Passes Out of the Assembly

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Assemblywoman Autumn Burke's (D- Inglewood) bill, AB 2682, which would increase access to prenatal care of a woman's choice passed out of the California State Assembly on a bipartisan vote.

Currently, Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) can only practice under the supervision of a physician which restricts the ability on where they could provide service. AB 2682 would untether a CNM from a doctor, in cases of normal childbirth, to provide care, including family planning, for the mother and the newborn.  AB 2682 also provides strong safeguards.  If at any time during the pregnancy, an abnormal condition would arise, the CNM would be required to refer or transfer care to a physician and follow the physician's treatment plan.  

Although CNMs undergo more training and have more education requirements than a Licensed Midwife, CNMs still have the requirement of being supervised by a doctor, while the Legislature removed physician supervision of Licensed Midwives in 2014.

California is one of only 6 states which places the physician requirement on CNMs, even though the doctor doesn't oversee health care delivery, inspect or review of charts, co-sign prescriptions, perform direct care on the patient, or evaluate CNM patients at any point during pregnancy.

"I have experienced first-hand the expert care provided by certified nurse midwives," said Burke.  "All women in California deserve to have the choice of selecting which kind of medical practitioner they would like to help them during their pregnancy. Untethering CNMs from physician supervision requirements will increase access to health care services for thousands of women in both urban and rural areas," explained Burke.

According to a national study published in February, in areas within the U.S. where Certified Nurse Midwives are used for maternity care, pregnant mothers experience significantly lower rates of cesarean, preterm birth, lowe birth weight infants and neonatal death.  Furthermore, the use of Midwives in collaboration with other health care professionals drastically reduces the cost associated with maternity care.

SOURCE California State Assemblymember, Autumn Burke