I would like to praise the 100th anniversary issue and thank you for including "The Campaign to Eliminate the Midwife," by Katy Dawley, which included the sidebar "Humanizing Childbirth" (October).

Readers who would like to do something about the past and continuing injustices committed against midwives should become familiar with the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), an organization that promotes the advancement of the midwifery or wellness model of care. Unlike organized medicine's historic efforts to eliminate the use of midwives, CIMS doesn't advocate the demise of midwives; rather it advocates that physicians adapt their medical model of practice to apply the wisdom of the midwifery model. (Indeed, Physicians for Midwifery, a recently created organization, supports this notion-CIMS would welcome the formulation of Nurses for Midwifery!)

For further information about CIMS, go to http://www.motherfriendly.org or Box 2346, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004.

Carol Davis, BSN, RN, LCCE, FACCE

CIMS Council/Co-chair; CIMS Designation Committee; Milwaukee, WI

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