Maryland's multiyear, legislative push to expand the role of licensed midwives in the state to include care for former cesarean section patients wanting at-home birth for their next child, has come to an end.
State legislators put a hold on legislation after new safety concerns arose, The Washington Post reported.
This comes after a Washington Post-led investigation previously revealed a midwife in Maryland was allowed to keep their license even after the deaths of three infants under their care.
Certified midwives in the state had argued that expanding their capabilities to care for patients who have previously had C-section births could lessen repeat C-section cases, according to the Post.
Maryland, like many other states in the U.S., not only continues to grapple with a nurse and physician shortage, but according to 2023 data from the March of Dimes, the state has seen a 9.7% decrease in the number of birthing hospitals between 2019 and 2020. The decrease has contributed to some parts of the state being labeled as "maternity care deserts."
Currently, 4.2% of counties in Maryland are classified as maternity care deserts, which is significantly lower than the overall U.S. average of 32.6% of counties. Though, expanding midwife care would have likely lessened the impact of care deficits felt by mothers.
Nevertheless, nearly 3% of women in Maryland have no birthing hospital within 30 minutes of their home, according to the March of Dimes.
In 2023, the Maryland Board of Nursing supported the legislation. However, in January 2024, the Maryland Board of Nursing came out in opposition of the legislation as well, with its executive director, Rhonda Scott, BSN, stating that "The board believes that Direct Entry Midwives are valuable in caring for pregnant patients. However, many home deliveries occur in remote and resource limited settings, which can pose a higher risk of complications for vulnerable patients like those seeking vaginal birth after a cesarean," the Post reported.
Becker's reached out to the Maryland Board of Nursing to request comment about the halt on the current state legislation. It is unclear at this time if the legislation will be withdrawn entirely or revised.
If new information becomes available, the story will be updated.