CA – Bill aims to raise bar for midwives in Mississippi

Bill aims to raise bar for midwives in Mississippi

The bill was sponsored by House Public Health Chairman Steve Holland, D-Plantersville. It cleared the House on Feb. 9 by a vote of 107-11. The bill is now in the Senate and comes up on Tuesday.

Holland has been getting a lot of calls from disgruntled home-birth advocates, he said Thursday.

The Mississippi Board of Nursing suggested the legislation because of the state’s high infant mortality rate. Holland says he believes that rate would go down if more babies were born in hospital facilities.

“We had a baby die on the coast last year being delivered in a hot tub,” Holland said.

Commercial Appeal
2/26/10