Women, children show support of midwives

BALTIMORE, Md. (WMAR) - A group of midwifery supporters protested outside government offices Wednesday. The goal -- to argue midwives should not be questioned by the Maryland Board of Medicine or Maryland Board of Physicians.

Dozens of women held signs, their children, many born via midwives, by their sides at 4201 Patterson Avenue.

"I believe that women should have the choice to have births at home with midwives," said supporter Cat Haines. "I believe that if there is any kind of disagreement between a midwife and a client that a midwife needs to answer to a board but not to the board of medicine."

Haines said a midwife answering to a board of medicine is like a dentist answering to a board of acupuncture.

"That's the problem that we have here today. We have a board of medicine, a board of physicians -- that is hearing a midwife's case," Haines said. "Midwifery is not the practice of medicine."

Haines, who has had three home births with midwives, said she plans to protest each new case in the future. In addition to those like Haines, members of Maryland Friends of Midwives and Maryland Families for Safe Birth participated in Wednesday's protest.