When most people consider using the services of a midwife rather than a traditional physician for the birth of their baby, they concentrate more on the actual delivery instead of the nine months leading up to the big event. However, there are many benefits involved in seeing a professional midwife, like those at Women's Healthcare Associates LLC, instead of a doctor for prenatal care as well as for delivery. Following are three of them.

You'll Have More Time During Appointments

Nurse midwives almost always spend more time with their patients during routine appointments than their physician counterparts. A significant aspect of the midwifery philosophy is to attend to the whole patient and all of her needs rather than treating the pregnancy as an isolated condition. For instance, it's natural for pregnant women to have many questions and concerns about prenatal care, childbirth, and taking care of a newborn, and a midwife is more likely to take the time to thoroughly address your questions and help you find further resources if necessary. Doctors are often so overbooked that they prenatal appointments are lightning fast and extremely impersonal.

You'll Save Money on Medical Costs

Although it may seem petty to take finances into consideration when planning prenatal costs, most people save substantial sums by using the services of a midwife instead of seeing a physician for their prenatal care. The level of care received may also be superior, so it's a win-win situation. Midwives often offer flexible payment options that most doctors don't provide, such as sliding scale fees, payment plans, and acceptance of Medicaid. You'll find plenty of uses for the money you've saved after the baby's arrival.

There May Be Less Risk of Infant Mortality

Research suggests that using the services of a midwife decreases the risk of infant mortality as well lowers chances of C-sections and results in less babies being born with low birth weight. This is partially thought to be due to the more thorough prenatal care provided by midwives. However, keep in mind that most pregnant women who choose midwives are those with low-risk pregnancies in the first place. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or any other health issues that could pose challenges during the course of your pregnancy and delivery, you may want to err on the side of caution and see a physician for your prenatal care.

Keep in mind that midwives work directly with obstetricians and other prenatal care and childbirth professionals and will refer you to an appropriate provider in the even that you show signs of pregnancy-related complications.