The Birthplace at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield
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General Obstetrics and Gynecology
Christopher Mills, MD
Linda Polonsky, MD
Julie A. Stanitis Thompson, DO
Nurse-Midwives
Deborah A. Billings, CNM
Holly Ann Christensen, CNM
Cathryn Kokonowski, CNM
Laura Maycock, CNM
Mary Paterno, CNM
Susan Peck, CNM
Vicki Marnin, CNM
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Medical Practice
Baystate Medical Practice — Pioneer Women's Health - obstetricians and nurse-midwives who deliver at The Birthplace will see you at their offices in Greenfield and South Deerfield.
Find an Obstetrician or Nurse-Midwife
Call Baystate Health Link at 1-800-377-HEALTH. A marketing representative can help you find a physician, nurse-midwife or practice in your area or enroll you in one of our programs for expectant parents.
Learn About Midwifery
Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses with advanced training in routine obstetrical and gynecological care. They complete an accredited course of study and pass a rigorous examination administered by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
Nurse-Midwives counsel you throughout your pregnancy to:
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Help you make more informed health care decisions
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Prepare you for a safe and satisfying birth experience
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Cope with any pain during delivery
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Offer guidance about nutrition and newborn care.
| National health care studies report that nurse-midwife/physician teams have significant advantages over facilities where nurse-midwives are not available. These collaborative teams incur lower health care costs, maintain higher birth weight figures and lower infant mortality rates. There is also a reduce need for episiotomies, anesthesia, and cesarean sections. Studies have shown that women who use nurse-midwives have a high rate of vaginal births compared to cesarean births. The cesarean birth rate for women who use nurse-midwives is 5-6 percent, comparable to that in Europe. The U.S. average is about 20 percent. Our nurse-midwives counsel you throughout your pregnancy to help you make more informed decisions about your health care, prepare you for a safe and satisfying birthing experience, help you best cope with the pain of delivery and offer guidance about nutritional, newborn and postnatal care. Our nurse mid-wives care for women before, during and after pregnancy; deliver babies; provide regular ongoing gynecologic care such as pap smears and breast exams; offer advice about reproductive health; and provide information about birth control options, nutrition and exercise, childbirth methods, and infant health. Nurse-midwifery services are covered by most insurance carriers. |
