House approves home birth assistance bill
Posted: Wednesday, February 20, 2008
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A bill that would let specially trained nurse midwives help women give birth at home has won final approval in the South Dakota Legislature.
The Legislature has battled for more than a decade on whether to allow midwives, whether professionally trained or not, to help women who do not want to have their babies in hospitals.
SB34 is a compromise suggested by the state Board of Nursing and the state Board of Medical Examiners. The House voted 61-9 to pass the bill, which was previously approved by the Senate. It will become law if signed by Gov. Mike Rounds.
Women can give birth at home, but state law has allowed only doctors or qualified midwives with collaborative agreements with doctors to attend home births. Doctors have refused to make such agreements with midwives because of worries about liability if something goes wrong.
The bill would require midwives to become registered nurses, get master's degrees in nursing, and pass additional tests. Certified nurse midwives wanting to attend home births would need approval of both the Nursing board and the Board of Medical Examiners.
Allowing certified nurse midwives to attend home births in South Dakota would be allowed on a trial basis until 2013.
Rep. Kathy Miles, D-Sioux Falls, said the measure would ensure the health and safety of women and babies in home births.
But Rep. Don Van Etten, R-Rapid City, a retired surgeon, said the measure is a bad move because babies or mothers could be hurt or die if complications develop during home deliveries. Of the 4 million births in the United States each year, about 31 percent, or 1.3 million, have at least one complication, he said.
"When deliveries go well anybody can catch the baby, including cab drivers," Van Etten said. "There are lots of times when things don't go well."
"I think babies don't care where they are born," Van Etten said. "I have maintained the position that all babies ought to be born in the hospital."
Rep. Thomas Brunner, R-Nisland, said he believes the state should allow midwives to help women who want to give birth at home. He said home births help families and babies grow closer.
"It's obvious babies know where they're being born and the conditions they're being born in," Brunner said.
Brunner said his family had a baby born prematurely at home with medical complications. That baby was held by its brothers and sisters, he said. The baby died three months later, but probably would have died sooner if it had been born in a hospital, he said.
The Legislature has battled for more than a decade on whether to allow midwives, whether professionally trained or not, to help women who do not want to have their babies in hospitals.
SB34 is a compromise suggested by the state Board of Nursing and the state Board of Medical Examiners. The House voted 61-9 to pass the bill, which was previously approved by the Senate. It will become law if signed by Gov. Mike Rounds.
Women can give birth at home, but state law has allowed only doctors or qualified midwives with collaborative agreements with doctors to attend home births. Doctors have refused to make such agreements with midwives because of worries about liability if something goes wrong.
The bill would require midwives to become registered nurses, get master's degrees in nursing, and pass additional tests. Certified nurse midwives wanting to attend home births would need approval of both the Nursing board and the Board of Medical Examiners.
Allowing certified nurse midwives to attend home births in South Dakota would be allowed on a trial basis until 2013.
Rep. Kathy Miles, D-Sioux Falls, said the measure would ensure the health and safety of women and babies in home births.
But Rep. Don Van Etten, R-Rapid City, a retired surgeon, said the measure is a bad move because babies or mothers could be hurt or die if complications develop during home deliveries. Of the 4 million births in the United States each year, about 31 percent, or 1.3 million, have at least one complication, he said.
"When deliveries go well anybody can catch the baby, including cab drivers," Van Etten said. "There are lots of times when things don't go well."
"I think babies don't care where they are born," Van Etten said. "I have maintained the position that all babies ought to be born in the hospital."
Rep. Thomas Brunner, R-Nisland, said he believes the state should allow midwives to help women who want to give birth at home. He said home births help families and babies grow closer.
"It's obvious babies know where they're being born and the conditions they're being born in," Brunner said.
Brunner said his family had a baby born prematurely at home with medical complications. That baby was held by its brothers and sisters, he said. The baby died three months later, but probably would have died sooner if it had been born in a hospital, he said.
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IowaBoy wrote on Feb 20, 2008 6:27 PM: