• Provide continuity of care for the woman and her family during the maternity cycle,
• Assess and provide care for healthy women during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period and for newborns during the first six weeks of life;
• Identify and assess deviations from normal;
• Maintain proficiency in life-saving measures by regular review and practice; and
• Deal with emergency situations appropriately.
  
  
• In addition, a midwife may choose to provide well-woman care.

It is affirmed that judgement and intuition play a role in competent assessment and response.

2. Appropriate equipment: Midwives are equipped to assess maternal, fetal newborn well-being; to maintain a clean and/or aseptic technique; to treat maternal hemorrhage; and to resuscitate mother or infant.

3. Records: Midwives keep accurate records of care provided for each woman such as are acceptable in current midwifery practice. Records shall be held confidential and provided to the woman on request.

4. Data collection: Midwives collect data for their practice on a regular basis. It is highly recommended that this be done prospectively, following the guidelines and using the data form developed by the MANA Statistics and Research Committee.

5. Compliance: Midwives will inform and assist parents regarding the Public Health requirements of the jurisdiction in which the midwifery practice will occur.

6. Medical consultation and referral: All midwives recognize that there are certain conditions when medical consultations are advisable. The midwife shall make a reasonable attempt to assure that her client has access to consultation and/or referral to a medical care system when indicated.

7. Screening: Midwives respect the woman's right to self-determination within the boundaries of responsible care. Midwives continually assess each woman regarding her health and well-being relevant to the appropriateness of midwifery services. Women will be informed of this assessment. It is the right and responsibility of the midwife to refuse or discontinue services in certain circumstances. Appropriate referrals are made in the interest of the mother or baby's well-being or when the required or requested care is outside the midwife's legal or personal scope of practice as described in her protocols.

8. Informed choice: Each midwife will present accurate information about herself and her services, including but not limited to:

• Her education in midwifery
• Her experience level in midwifery
• Her protocols and standards
• Her financial charges for services
• The services she does and does not provide
• The responsibilities of the pregnant woman and her family

9. Continuing education: Midwives will update their knowledge and skills on a regular basis.

10. Peer review: Midwifery practice includes an on-going process of case review with peers.

11. Protocols: Each midwife will develop protocols for her services that are in agreement with the basic philosophy of MANA and in keeping with her level of understanding. Each midwife is encouraged to put her protocols in writing.

References:
American College of Nurse-Midwives documents
ICM membership and joint study on maternity, FIGO, WHO, etc. revised 1972
New Mexico regulations for the practice of lay midwifery, revised 1982
North West Coalition of Midwives Standards for Safety and Competency in Midwifery
Varney, Helen, Nurse-Midwifery, Blackwell Scientific Pub., Boston, MA 1980