NEWS
The Midwifery Model of Care at Saint Peter’s University Hospital Inspires Shared Decision-making and Empowerment of Women as Partners in Their Care
June 1, 2023
New Brunswick, N.J. – June 1, 2023 – The certified nurse-midwives at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, provide a range of women’s health services, including well woman care, prenatal care, care during labor and birth, and postpartum care. They also offer care to women who are menopausal and postmenopausal. They focus on holistic care, emphasizing the physical, emotional, and social aspects of women’s health.
Certified nurse-midwives are licensed independent practitioners who:
Well Woman Care
For women who are not pregnant, Saint Peter's certified nurse-midwives offer gynecological services such as well woman exams. These exams typically include a pelvic exam, a breast exam, and a Pap smear, if needed. They can treat issues like menstrual cramps and infections and answer questions about reproductive health.
Prenatal Care
Throughout the pregnancy, certified nurse-midwives provide ongoing prenatal care, including monitoring the growth and development of the baby and ensuring the mother is healthy. They can prescribe lab tests and ultrasounds, provide nutrition and exercise counseling, and share education on childbirth. Central to the prenatal care experience is the mother’s birth plan. Developed at the beginning of her pregnancy, expectant mothers document their personal preferences and wishes for how the labor should progress – everything from designating support individuals in attendance to labor expectations and preferences for medical intervention, should the need arise. Saint Peter’s certified nurse-midwives are skilled at identifying and managing potential complications and referring patients to specialists when necessary.
Delivery
Under the care of Saint Peter’s certified nurse-midwives, women with low-risk pregnancies can experience labor and birth in the state’s only hospital-based, midwifery-led Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center, which is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers. The comfortable, homelike bedroom suites feature a queen-size bed, a sleeper chair, bathroom with shower and a spa-size tub where moms can relax during labor, along with an open outdoor garden for walking during labor.
The Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center offers a variety of nonpharmaceutical pain management options including hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, nerve stimulation, and sterile water papules. It is also equipped with various tools including birth balls, peanut balls, and birth stools to facilitate a variety of different position options in labor. Certified nurse-midwives monitor the mother’s vital signs and the baby’s heart rate during labor, and provide emotional support and comfort measures, all while adhering to the mother’s birth plan as closely as possible during the birth of the baby.
If under the care of a certified nurse-midwife during pregnancy, women can also choose to give birth in Saint Peter’s labor and delivery unit. Saint Peter’s University Hospital was recently named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2023, a prestigious award presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. This is the second consecutive year Saint Peter’s has received this national recognition. The hospital is certified in Perinatal Care by The Joint Commission and is the state’s first to be verified as a Level IV Maternal Care facility by The Joint Commission.
Postpartum Care
Two weeks after women give birth, certified nurse-midwives conduct a postpartum health checkup to ensure the well-being of the mother and baby. They monitor the physical and emotional recovery of the mother, and offer guidance on breastfeeding, newborn care, and family planning. They will also screen for postpartum depression and refer patients to specialists if necessary.
Menopause
As women approach menopause, certified nurse-midwives can provide care and support during this transition. They help manage symptoms such as hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep disturbances, and offer guidance on hormone replacement therapy if needed. Certified nurse-midwives can also screen for osteoporosis and offer recommendations to prevent bone loss.
Post-menopause
Post-menopausal women may feel lingering symptoms of menopause due to decreasing hormone levels. Some symptoms include hot flashes, dry skin, insomnia, depression, changes in weight, and incontinence. Certified nurse-midwives can help women address these symptoms or connect them with specialized physicians.
Women should speak with a certified nurse-midwife or their healthcare provider about any issue they are experiencing so that appropriate care can be given. To schedule a visit with one of Saint Peter’s certified nurse-midwives, call 732.339.7879 or visit saintpetershcs.com/midwifery.
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About Saint Peter’s University Hospital
Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, is a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Saint Peter’s, which received its sixth consecutive designation as a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2020, is a state-designated children’s hospital and a regional perinatal center, and is a regional specialist in diabetes, gastroenterology, head and neck surgery, oncology, orthopedics, and women’s services. Saint Peter’s is the recipient of the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for the adult intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, cardiac progressive care unit and the pediatric intensive care unit. The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital provides families with access to a full range of pediatric specialties, including a nationally recognized Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, pediatric surgery and orthopedic surgery featuring innovative anterior scoliosis correction. The hospital offers a midwifery service and the brand-new state-of-the-art Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center. Saint Peter’s is a sponsor of residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine, and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. Visit saintpetershcs.com or call 732-745-8600.
Certified nurse-midwives are licensed independent practitioners who:
- Have obtained a master’s degree in a midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
- Are board certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board
- Have been licensed by the state as registered nurses, as well as certified nurse-midwives
Well Woman Care
For women who are not pregnant, Saint Peter's certified nurse-midwives offer gynecological services such as well woman exams. These exams typically include a pelvic exam, a breast exam, and a Pap smear, if needed. They can treat issues like menstrual cramps and infections and answer questions about reproductive health.
Prenatal Care
Throughout the pregnancy, certified nurse-midwives provide ongoing prenatal care, including monitoring the growth and development of the baby and ensuring the mother is healthy. They can prescribe lab tests and ultrasounds, provide nutrition and exercise counseling, and share education on childbirth. Central to the prenatal care experience is the mother’s birth plan. Developed at the beginning of her pregnancy, expectant mothers document their personal preferences and wishes for how the labor should progress – everything from designating support individuals in attendance to labor expectations and preferences for medical intervention, should the need arise. Saint Peter’s certified nurse-midwives are skilled at identifying and managing potential complications and referring patients to specialists when necessary.
Delivery
Under the care of Saint Peter’s certified nurse-midwives, women with low-risk pregnancies can experience labor and birth in the state’s only hospital-based, midwifery-led Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center, which is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers. The comfortable, homelike bedroom suites feature a queen-size bed, a sleeper chair, bathroom with shower and a spa-size tub where moms can relax during labor, along with an open outdoor garden for walking during labor.
The Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center offers a variety of nonpharmaceutical pain management options including hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, nerve stimulation, and sterile water papules. It is also equipped with various tools including birth balls, peanut balls, and birth stools to facilitate a variety of different position options in labor. Certified nurse-midwives monitor the mother’s vital signs and the baby’s heart rate during labor, and provide emotional support and comfort measures, all while adhering to the mother’s birth plan as closely as possible during the birth of the baby.
If under the care of a certified nurse-midwife during pregnancy, women can also choose to give birth in Saint Peter’s labor and delivery unit. Saint Peter’s University Hospital was recently named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2023, a prestigious award presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. This is the second consecutive year Saint Peter’s has received this national recognition. The hospital is certified in Perinatal Care by The Joint Commission and is the state’s first to be verified as a Level IV Maternal Care facility by The Joint Commission.
Postpartum Care
Two weeks after women give birth, certified nurse-midwives conduct a postpartum health checkup to ensure the well-being of the mother and baby. They monitor the physical and emotional recovery of the mother, and offer guidance on breastfeeding, newborn care, and family planning. They will also screen for postpartum depression and refer patients to specialists if necessary.
Menopause
As women approach menopause, certified nurse-midwives can provide care and support during this transition. They help manage symptoms such as hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep disturbances, and offer guidance on hormone replacement therapy if needed. Certified nurse-midwives can also screen for osteoporosis and offer recommendations to prevent bone loss.
Post-menopause
Post-menopausal women may feel lingering symptoms of menopause due to decreasing hormone levels. Some symptoms include hot flashes, dry skin, insomnia, depression, changes in weight, and incontinence. Certified nurse-midwives can help women address these symptoms or connect them with specialized physicians.
Women should speak with a certified nurse-midwife or their healthcare provider about any issue they are experiencing so that appropriate care can be given. To schedule a visit with one of Saint Peter’s certified nurse-midwives, call 732.339.7879 or visit saintpetershcs.com/midwifery.
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About Saint Peter’s University Hospital
Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, is a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Saint Peter’s, which received its sixth consecutive designation as a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2020, is a state-designated children’s hospital and a regional perinatal center, and is a regional specialist in diabetes, gastroenterology, head and neck surgery, oncology, orthopedics, and women’s services. Saint Peter’s is the recipient of the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for the adult intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, cardiac progressive care unit and the pediatric intensive care unit. The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital provides families with access to a full range of pediatric specialties, including a nationally recognized Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, pediatric surgery and orthopedic surgery featuring innovative anterior scoliosis correction. The hospital offers a midwifery service and the brand-new state-of-the-art Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center. Saint Peter’s is a sponsor of residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine, and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. Visit saintpetershcs.com or call 732-745-8600.