Midwife Autonomy Endangered by MANA President Sarita Bennett

Mary Ann Griffin: I am speaking as an individual and not in my position with either organization or committee. We worked 20 plus years for licensure in Indiana. We have a collaborative agreement required but that is not "supervision". We are able to license CPMs in spite of the difficulty. Autonomous practice is the goal towards our future efforts.

Marilyn Campbell CPM-AZ CPM-TN Former MANA VP: I am sad to see MANA moving in the wrong direction. I urge the MANA board of Directors to call an emergency meeting to address this matter immediately.

Marilee Pinkleton: How unfortunate Sarita Bennett has chosen to disregard years of outcomes and research. As President of MANA, she has shown she no longer represents its membership and needs to resign or be removed. May the harm of her words be quickly healed.

Maral Shabak: We deserve to be regulated but individuals that know our craft and our licensure.

Makeda Kamara: As a former MANA Bd. I’m appalled that it’s present president is in opposition of autonomous midwifery which has herstorically been the aim of MANA.

Mairi Breen Rothman: MANA needs to have a united voice. If we can’t agree that we don’t need physician oversight, what CAN we agree on?

Maggie Halpin: Who are these physicians who want to oversee midwives?! This is not a feasible solution to whatever Dr. Bennett deems to be the problem. Lack of education? Let’s educate midwives! Lack of training! Let’s train them! Dr. Bennett’s opinion goes directly against scientific evidence that midwifery care decreases poor outcomes for birthing people and babies and it is dangerous and disheartening to have her at the helm of MANA.

Lucina Armstrong Michaud: Sarita Bennett does not represent the majority of midwives or their clients. Her policy of supervised care would be devastating to all of the families served by autonomous midwives. She should not represent or lead MANA. Most homebirth midwives would be unable to arrange physician supervision or practice the midwifery model of care if this policy were in effect. Mrs. Bennet is serving her own interests at the risk of drastically reducing access to midwifery care for families. This is unacceptable!

Lisa Riell: This would set back community by decades. It has been shown safe by ACOG. If this happened, Women won’t stop having community birth, but it will be done underground, making it difficult for everyone.

Lisa Cohen: I am appaled by the suggestion that midwives should be trapped by collaborative practice agreements. This would be a huge backwards step for midwives, for their clients, and to the midwifery profession itself. She needs to be removed from her position as MANA president immediately, before she can do any further harm!

Lindsey Vick: We should be working towards greater access to midwife care, not less.

Linda Bennett: Midwife Autonomy is essential.

Lidia Irene Nieves Barreyro: A favor de la iniciativa

Leslie Payne: I will be interested to see and hear what the response is of the MANA Board, who will be meeting on Monday, 7/26/2021. I pray we can all work through this together.

Lesley Franco: Resign please. You do not represent midwives

Leonora Colen: I can’t believe that this woman is a representative of MANA let alone it’s president!

Lea Minton: Midwives are independent autonomous providers.

Laurie Fremgen: Sarita s comments over the years have been problematic. But this is a new extreme. She has now abdicated her right to lead any midwives, midwifery organization or have any say regarding the practice of midwifery. This is so profoundly concerning.

Lauren Drees: Restricting the autonomous work of midwives is a serious threat to maternal/fetal well being. I strong oppose any laws restricting practice of midwives.

Kristina Harper: Dr. Bennett needs to resign