The bad midwifery bill, HB 185, can still be amended to reduce the ill effects described in the previous post.

The Idaho Senate has not yet debated, amended or voted on this bill. Please take a moment to contact your Senator and urge him to help repair this bad bill with amendments.

These are the points to keep in mind when contacting the Senate:

* Please preserve midwifery freedom by amending H185 and making it voluntary instead of mandatory.
* Midwifery has been practiced since the beginning of time and is currently legal in Idaho.
* Many midwives only do a few deliveries per year. They can’t afford certification fees, licensure fees, or additional mandatory classes.
* Some midwives who don’t use prescriptive drugs–they use natural alternatives–would become illegal unless they took classes and got licensed to administer drugs that they wouldn’t use anyway.
* This legislation would also restrict entry for future midwives.
* It would limit access to safe, affordable services for mothers by driving a significant portion of Idaho midwives under at a time when many families are already experiencing economic hardships.
* Mothers prohibited from using midwifery services by this legislation would be more likely to hide health issues from their midwives–creating unnecessary emergency situations.
* It would create a number of scenarios where women would be more likely to have risky, unassisted births.
* Many midwives supported the bill before it went through the House. Many midwives and consumers who have read the House bill are upset with the changes.

Follow this link to contact your senator.

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