Former FCMC Midwife Joins Staff at Area Hospital

Last month, Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City discontinued its midwifery pregnancy and birthing program.

That resulted in the elimination of two certified midwife positions, with Judi Halbach and Danielle Wadsworth both left without jobs. But not for Wadsworth any longer. 

Last week (Sept. 2), Regional Healthcare Services of Howard County announced that Wadsworth has joined their staff to give them a total of three midwives, along with Stephanie Riley and Haley O’Donnell. 

The hospital says Wadsworth will provide comprehensive women’s healthcare for patients ages 12 and older, including pregnancy and delivery care, fertility concerns, and menopause care at their Cresco and Elma Medical Clinics.

                                                                                                                MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City also recently announced the addition of two certified nurse midwives to its team to expand prenatal and postnatal care access. Amanda Schroeder joined the staff after four years practicing as a midwife at MercyOne Waterloo. Jayme Burman also joined the team, bringing 20 years of midwifery experience. 

In discontinuing their midwifery program, FCMC noted that, even with a midwife birth, the hospital still had to have an obstetrical physician on call at all times. That proved to hinder FCMC’s recruitment of OB doctors, thus, the move to a complete physician-based model of obstetrical care better positions the hospital to attract OB physicians to Charles City.