East Metro Midwife Program To End This Summer

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) --Moms in one town will soon have one less option when giving birth. The physicians group who delivers babies in Hudson, Wisconsin is eliminating the midwife program.

Midwife births are on the rise in the United States, but soon at Hudson Hospital that may not be an option. The decision to end the program was made by Hudson Physicians group who serves the hospital, not by Health Partners of Hudson Hospital.

It's the moment that words can't convey, a moment real estate agent and mother Sara Capecchi says was made better because of her Midwife.

"She really sat with you, tried to understand what your needs were just emotionally, mentally," explained Capecci. "I just felt like she cared, that she cared so much."

And her midwife, Elizabeth Radford, whose helped in 545 Hudson area deliveries says she does care, "I say I am so lucky because I have a job I am passionate about I care about the people that I am working with and it the most rewarding job."

But she won't have that job much longer.

Hudson Physicians is eliminating the three-person midwife unit at Hudson Hospital.

Midwives have delivered around 850 babies over the past eight years, including Sarah's.

"I feel like as a community we are absolutely devastated," said Capecci. "It's sad to see they don't see the value in keeping the midwives there."

The CEO, Matt Brandt, tells WCCO it's a business decision, "The OBGYNS, they do staff and back up the midwives if need be to get called in for an emergency, so when you have two separate call rotations it creates a double layer of costs essentially."

He says about 22% of births use midwives and the numbers don't add up to sustain the program.

Capecchi told WCCO, "I have a hard time believing it's really because of financial reasons. I don't think that they are hurting. I think they know that they can make more money and so I think it's a greed issue."

But the decision was already made. Parents will have to deliver their business and their babies elsewhere.

"Midwife team is a great team of people that we have here so it is sad to lose them but you know we'll do the best we can to honor them and do a good job moving forward," said Brandt.

The program will end here in Hudson on August 1. The physicians group will then recommend people who want midwife services to Baldwin, Stillwater or Woodbury.

Elizabeth Radford and the other two midwives affected by the cuts have found new jobs with Minnesota Women's Care in Woodbury.