In other parts of the developed world, midwives deliver a lot of babies... like in England, where half the births involve midwives.
Here, not so much. About ten percent of American births include midwives. And recent research shows how making greater use of midwives can make for healthier babies and mothers.
Oregon is one state that does better than many in integrating midwives into the birthing process. Melissa Cheyney at Oregon State University was one of the authors of the study. She visits, along with Willa Woodard Ervin, midwife and owner of Rogue Birth Center.
