Midwives

<ul><li>Monitor maternal condition during labor by checking vital signs, monitoring uterine contractions, or performing physical examinations.</li><li>Identify, monitor, or treat pregnancy-related problems such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, or retarded fetal growth.</li><li>Monitor fetal growth and well-being through heartbeat detection, body measurement, and palpation.</li><li>Establish and follow emergency or contingency plans for mothers and newborns.</li><li>Provide necessary medical care for infants at birth, including emergency care such as resuscitation.</li><li>Identify tubal and ectopic pregnancies and refer patients for treatments.</li><li>Maintain documentation of all patients' contacts, reviewing and updating records as necessary.</li><li>Perform post-partum health assessments of mothers and babies at regular intervals.</li><li>Assess the status of post-date pregnancies to determine treatments and interventions.</li><li>Counsel women regarding the nutritional requirements of pregnancy.</li><li>Conduct ongoing prenatal health assessments, tracking changes in physical and emotional health.</li><li>Obtain complete health and medical histories from patients including medical, surgical, reproductive, or mental health histories.</li><li>Suture perineal lacerations.</li><li>Assist maternal patients to find physical positions that will facilitate childbirth.</li><li>Set up or monitor the administration of oxygen or medications.</li><li>Estimate patients' due dates and re-evaluate as necessary based on examination results.</li><li>Evaluate patients' laboratory and medical records, requesting assistance from other practitioners when necessary.</li><li>Provide information about the physical and emotional processes involved in the pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum periods.</li><li>Complete birth certificates.</li><li>Provide comfort and relaxation measures for mothers in labor through interventions such as massage, breathing techniques, hydrotherapy, or music.</li><li>Refer patients to specialists for procedures such as ultrasounds or biophysical profiles.</li><li>Develop, implement, or evaluate individualized plans for midwifery care.</li><li>Test patients' hemoglobin, hematocrit, and blood glucose levels.</li><li>Recommend the use of vitamin and mineral supplements to enhance the health of patients and children.</li><li>Respond to breech birth presentations by applying methods such as exercises or external version.</li><li>Incorporate research findings into practice as appropriate.</li><li>Assess birthing environments to ensure cleanliness, safety, and the availability of appropriate supplies.</li><li>Collect specimens for use in laboratory tests.</li><li>Provide, or refer patients to other providers for, education or counseling on topics such as genetic testing, newborn care, contraception, or breastfeeding.</li><li>Inform patients of how to prepare and supply birth sites.</li><li>Provide postpartum patients with contraceptive and family planning information.</li><li>Treat patients' symptoms with alternative health care methods such as herbs or hydrotherapy.</li><li>Provide information about community health and social resources.</li><li>Compile and evaluate clinical practice statistics.</li></ul>