midwives

Missouri has some of the strictest policies for certified nurse-midwives, requiring they get physician supervision, collaboration or sign-off. A group of advocates who gathered in Kansas City says granting them full-practice authority would boost the local workforce and expand options and access to healthcare.

Midwife Clarisa Evans started her practice to empower all members of an expecting family from pregnancy through postpartum. While carrying on the legacy of her great grandmother, Evans has become part of a community that reimagines pregnancy and birth outside of hospitals and inside homes.

Expectant parents might considering hiring a doula to assist with the childbirth process, but to many, the role doulas play in that process remains a…