www.mycnews.com • Community News - St. Charles County • September 16, 2020
Healthy Living
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www.BJCStCharlesCounty.org/Events
Why a midwife might be right for you A midwife is a health care provider that specializes in caring for women of all ages and backgrounds. While they have an emphasis on pregnancy, childbirth and reproductive health, midwives offer a full range of primary health care services from adolescence to menopause and beyond. Whether you’re expecting or just seeking out primary care, a midwife may be the right choice for you. Extensive training There are three different types of midwives: certified nurse-midwives, certified midwives and certified professional midwives. Most midwives in the United States are certified nurse-midwives. These are registered nurses who have received an advanced degree in midwifery, with a majority holding a master’s degree or above. They are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Council and independently licensed to safely prescribe medications, treatments and care for women and children. This can include preconception, pregnancy and postpartum care; birth control services; newborn care; and a wide array of primary and gynecological services. Some midwives even
By Jane Vesel
have additional training to assist with caesarean sections in the operating room, among other procedures. Collaborative practice Although midwives are independently licensed, most states require them to have a collaborative practice agreement. In terms of pregnancy, this allows them to call upon obstetricians and internal fetal medicine doctors for emergency assistance if complications arise. For example, midwives from Heartland Women’s Healthcare rely on a collaborative practice with physicians at Progress West Hospital to provide consultation and a referral source. They work together to provide whatever mom and baby need for their safety. Personalized approach Many women seek out midwives for their personalized approach, natural childbirth expertise and focus on minimizing interventions and medications. That being said, it doesn’t mean their pregnant patients won’t have epidurals – in fact, many do. Another common misconception is that midwives only deliver at home, which is not the case. About 85 percent of certified
nurse-midwives deliver in a hospital setting like Progress West Hospital. Their approach is focused on optimizing the birth experience by working together towards whatever the woman and her family have in mind for their care. At Progress West Hospital, midwives work alongside physicians and nurses to care for women of all ages, types and risk factors and to promote natural in-
terventions that maximize the health of the mom and baby. Jane Vesel is a doctorally prepared nurse-midwife with Heartland Women’s Healthcare. She sees patients in her Wentzville office. You can schedule an appointment with Jane by calling 618997-5266.
COVID-19 drive-through testing available in St. Charles County Sept. 17-19 The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and Missouri National Guard will perform drive-through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19 from Sept. 17-19 on the parking lot of the Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway in St. Charles. The tests are free and open to any Missouri resident during the following times: • 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 17 • 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 18 • 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19 “Testing continues as an extremely important step in the response to manage COVID-19 in this community,” says St. Charles County Department of Public Health Director Demetrius Cianci-Chapman. “The more testing that is done – on symptomatic as
well as asymptomatic residents – the more we learn about how this disease spreads and how prevalent it is in our communities. We appreciate this opportunity to have additional free and convenient testing options for St. Charles County residents.” Online registration is recommended and available through the DHSS website at health.mo.gov/communitytest or by calling the Missouri COVID-19 Hotline at 877-435-8411. Registrants will be scheduled in 15-minute appointment blocks. Upon arrival at the testing site, participants will be asked questions, including symptoms they may have. Members of the National Guard will assist participants in collecting a self-administered nasal swab, and the specimen will be sent to a laboratory for processing. Patients will be
notified of their results. Participants must be Missouri residents however, they do not need to be residents of the county where they are tested. Individuals do not need to be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to be eligible for the test, and a physician’s order or proof of insurance are not required. Along with the testing in St. Charles County, additional community testing sites are open throughout the state from Sept. 14-19, and other dates are being scheduled. More than 50 counties throughout Missouri have hosted community testing efforts to assist public health officials in learning more about the prevalence of COVID-19 in the state.
