Views from the Shore
By Brian Cahill
A few months ago, I was sitting in a meeting to talk about some of the new programs Shore Physicians Group would be bringing to our area in 2022, and one of the new services discussed was OB/GYN Midwifery Services. Not to sound completely ignorant, but I knew next to nothing about this topic, and quickly realized I needed to do some homework.
I sat down with Maggie Stanley, RN, APRN, CNM and Joanna McGrath, MSN, CNM of Shore Physicians Group’s OB/GYN Midwifery Services, and they were very kind enough to educate me on Midwifery Services. Thinking that I may not be alone, I thought I’d share with you what I’ve learned so far (including that it is pronounced mid-whiff-er-ree), and bring you up to speed on the scope of care that midwives provide to patients today.
MIDWIFERY TODAY
Midwifery today is far more than pregnancy and childbirth. Midwives are with their clients from puberty to beyond menopause. “Pregnancy, puberty, and menopause are normal physiological processes for women, they are not medical conditions or illnesses. We help them through these life experiences to help eliminate fear and empower them to be a part of their own OB/GYN care. When there are medical complications related to these normal life processes, we will treat them or seamlessly collaborate with specialists and physicians when necessary to ensure they receive that advanced care,” said Stanley.
“As certified nurse midwives, we see ourselves as partners in our client’s pregnancy journey. We work with our clients to help them develop and achieve their birth wish list while helping them manage expectations,” said McGrath. “We develop a partnership of care. We talk about their expectations as well as their fears. We get to know our patients very well and we are with them throughout this journey and there to support them in whatever decision they make.”
MIDWIFERY BEYOND CHILDBIRTH
The true scope of midwifery care encompasses women’s gynecologic health from the onset of puberty and their first period to life beyond menopause.
“We have young women who will come to us with their mothers when they are 12 or 13-years-old and I tell them not to be afraid. First of all, we are not going to do an internal exam. We are just going to talk with them and ask questions and they are going to likewise ask questions of us on what to expect as they get older,” said Stanley. “We will speak with women in their 20s, 30s, and 40’s asking if they are content in their sexual health and if they are happy with the way things are. It opens the door to allow the client to speak freely about themselves. I have had so many women thank me because for the first time they were able to speak frankly with a healthcare provider and because they felt someone was truly taking the time to listen to their concerns.”
McGrath added, “Our goal is to empower women of every age to take a role in their own health. We deal with normal aspects of their gynecologic health such as abnormal bleeding, birth control, management of menopause, vaginal dryness, and painful sex just to name a few. As a midwifery practice, we offer compassionate and knowledge-based services to women of all ages.”
To learn more about Shore Physicians Group’s new OB/GYN and Midwifery practice visit shorephysiciansgroup.com. To make an appointment with Joanna McGrath or Maggie Stanley, visit call 609-365-5300.
Brian Cahill is the Director, Marketing & Public Relations for Shore Medical Center in Somers Point. He is also a Board Member for the Somers Point Business Association, an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at Stockton University, and is founding member of Somers Point-Community First, a local volunteer organization.
