Author: Avital Norman Nathman

Avital Norman Nathman is a freelance writer and editor who has written for a variety of print and online outlets like The New York Times, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, VICE and more. Much of her work focuses on reproductive and maternal health. Her first book, The Good Mother Myth: Redefining Motherhood to Fit Reality, provides a platform for diverse voices that often get left out of the conversations surrounding parenting. Her upcoming book combines research, expert analysis and narrative experiences to better understand the broken birth system in the U.S.

Midwives Save Lives, but Only if We Let Them

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We are currently in the midst of a maternal health crisis. Despite being one of the wealthiest and most highly resourced nations globally, the United States continues to struggle with shockingly high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. This crisis is a matter of public health and also reflects systemic failures and disparities within our healthcare system.

The good news is we already have something that works: midwives. The bad news is that some places in the U.S. have made it difficult for midwives to provide the care that we so desperately need.