Last week on our Facebook page, we featured a photo of our certified nurse midwife Susan Griggs after her 500th delivery at Northside Cherokee in Canton in honor of National Midwifery Week and received a great response. Susan has been a part of the Cherokee Women’s Health Specialists team for six years, and many of our patients choose to have Susan assist them when it’s time to have their babies. With all of the questions a new mom has to ask herself to prepare for a delivery, “What is the difference between a certified nurse midwife and a regular obstetrician?” might be one of them. Here’s a closer look.
A certified nurse-midwife is a separate but complementary profession to an obstetrician. Physicians are experts in pathology (the study and diagnosis of disease) and should have primary responsibility for the care of pregnant women who have recognized complications or diseases. Midwives are experts in normal pregnancy and in meeting the needs of pregnant women that aren’t related to pathology. In many countries, midwives have the primary responsibility for women with uncomplicated pregnancies.
With a focus on the normalcy of pregnancy and its potential for health, midwives view birth as a natural process that should be treated as such until there is evidence of a problem. Midwives are experts in supporting and enhancing the normal physiology of labor and delivery as well as breast-feeding.
With Susan on our team at Cherokee Women’s, we are pleased to be able to give women more flexibility in regards to their labor and delivery options, ultimately offering them the best in prenatal care for each patient.
Find out what's happening in Sandy Springswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Testimonial
Here is one of a handful of testimonials we have received about Susan’s six years with us:
“Thank you to everyone at Cherokee Women’s for all you have done for me and my growing family. Susan Griggs is my favorite midwife. She is highly recommended, and the office is very friendly. They have carried me through my 4th pregnancy, and now 5th. Wouldn’t go anywhere else.” Kathy V.
Find out what's happening in Sandy Springswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
If you have more questions about the differences between an obstetrician and a certified nurse-midwife, don’t hesitate to contact one of our offices to make an appointment with Susan or one of our other doctors.
