ASIDE: I found a funny blooper in AB 1308 – a misunderstanding of the word “version”, which is a technical term that actually refers to “podalic” version — changing a vtx position to a breech during 2nd stage by reaching up in the mother’s uterus and pulling her baby out by its feet:
(e) The practice of midwifery does not include the assisting of childbirth by any artificial, forcible, or mechanical means, nor the performance of any version of these means.
Below are the positive statements of how the law will read (and work!) once all the legislative ‘strike-throughs’ are dispensed with.
I only included areas that had changes in them. I didn’t include text about topics that were uncontroversial — for example, our access to drugs and supplies or about the modification of the birth center law to include LMs.
Licensed Midwifery Practice Act as modified by AB 1308
SEC. 2. Section 2507 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
2507. (a) The license to practice midwifery authorizes the holder to attend cases of normal pregnancy and childbirth, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), and to provide prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care, including family-planning care, for the mother, and immediate care for the newborn.
(b) As used in this article, the practice of midwifery constitutes the furthering or undertaking by any licensed midwife to assist a woman in childbirth so as long as progress meets criteria accepted as normal.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a licensed midwife shall only assist a woman in normal pregnancy and childbirth, which is defined as meeting all of the following conditions:
(A) There is an absence of both of the following:
(i) Any preexisting maternal disease or condition likely to affect the pregnancy.
(ii) Significant disease arising from the pregnancy.
(B) There is a singleton fetus.
(C) There is a cephalic presentation.
(D) The gestational age of the fetus is greater than 37 0⁄7 weeks and less than 42 0⁄7 completed weeks of pregnancy.
(E) Labor is spontaneous or induced in an outpatient setting.
(2) If a potential midwife client meets the conditions specified in subparagraphs (B) to (E), inclusive, of paragraph (1), but fails to meet the conditions specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and the woman still desires to be a client of the licensed midwife, …..
….. the licensed midwife shall provide the woman with a referral for an examination by a physician and surgeon trained in obstetrics and gynecology.
A licensed midwife may assist the woman in pregnancy and childbirth only if an examination by a physician and surgeon trained in obstetrics and gynecology is obtained and the physician and surgeon who examined the woman determines that the risk factors presented by her disease or condition are not likely to significantly affect the course of pregnancy and childbirth.
The board shall adopt regulations … specifying the conditions described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1).
(d) A licensed midwife shall not provide or continue to provide midwifery care to a woman with a risk factor that will significantly affect the course of pregnancy and childbirth, regardless of whether the woman has consented to this care or refused care by a physician or surgeon, except as provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c). [page #6 – lines 10 thru 15]
NOTE — I was unable to figure out what paragraph (3), subdivision (c) referred to
(c) (1) If at any point during a pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum care a client’s condition deviates from normal, the licensed midwife shall immediately refer or transfer the client to a physician and surgeon.
The licensed midwife may consult and remain in consultation with the physician and surgeon after the referral or transfer.
2508. (a) A licensed midwife shall disclose in oral and written form to a prospective client as part of a client care plan, and obtain informed consent for, all of the following:
(1) All of the provisions of Section 2507.
(2) The client is retaining a licensed midwife, not a certified nurse midwife, and the licensed midwife is not supervised by a physician and surgeon.
(3) The licensed midwife’s current licensure status and license number.
(4) The practice settings in which the licensed midwife practices.
(5) If the licensed midwife does not have liability coverage for the practice of midwifery, he or she shall disclose that fact.
The licensed midwife shall disclose to the client that many physicians and surgeons do not have liability insurance coverage for services provided to someone having a planned out-of-hospital birth.
(6) The acknowledgment that if the client is advised to consult with a physician and surgeon, failure to do so may affect the client’s legal rights in any professional negligence actions against a physician and surgeon, licensed health care professional, or hospital.
(7) There are conditions that are outside of the scope of practice of a licensed midwife that will result in a referral for a consultation from, or transfer of care to, a physician and surgeon.
(8) The specific arrangements for the referral of complications to a physician and surgeon for consultation. The licensed midwife shall not be required to identify a specific physician and surgeon.
(9) The specific arrangements for the transfer of care during the prenatal period, hospital transfer during the intrapartum and postpartum periods, and access to appropriate emergency medical services for mother and baby if necessary, and recommendations for pre-registration at a hospital that has obstetric emergency services and is most likely to receive the transfer.
(10) If, during the course of care, the client is informed that she has or may have a condition indicating the need for a mandatory transfer, the licensed midwife shall initiate the transfer.
(11) The availability of the text of laws regulating licensed midwifery practices and the procedure for reporting complaints to the Medical Board of California, which may be found on the Medical Board of California’s Internet Web site.
(12) Consultation with a physician and surgeon does not alone create a physician-patient relationship or any other relationship with the physician and surgeon.
The informed consent shall specifically state that the licensed midwife and the consulting physician and surgeon are not employees, partners, associates, agents, or principals of one another. The licensed midwife shall inform the patient that he or she is independently licensed and practicing midwifery and in that regard is solely responsible for the services he or she provides.
(b) The disclosure and consent shall be signed by both the licensed midwife and the client and a copy of the disclosure and consent shall be placed in the client’s medical record.
(c) The Medical Board of California may prescribe the form for the written disclosure and informed consent statement required to be used by a licensed midwife under this section.
SEC. 4. Section 2510 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:
2510. If a client is transferred to a hospital, the licensed midwife shall provide records, including prenatal records, and speak with the receiving physician and surgeon about labor up to the point of the transfer.
The hospital shall report each transfer of a planned out-of-hospital birth to the Medical Board of California and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative using a standardized form developed by the board.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LMAR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2516. (a) Each licensed midwife who assists, or supervises a student midwife in assisting, in childbirth that occurs in an out-of-hospital setting shall annually report to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
The board, with input from the Midwifery Advisory Council, may adjust the data elements required to be reported to better coordinate with other reporting systems, including the reporting system of the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), while maintaining the data elements unique to California. To better capture data needed for the report required by this section, the concurrent use of systems, including MANA’s, by licensed midwives is encouraged.
~~Revoke or suspend mfry license (all violations are also technically a crime) ~~
SEC. 7. Section 2519 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
2519. The board may suspend or revoke the license of a midwife for any of the following:
(j) Failing to do any of the following when required pursuant to Section 2507:
(1) Consult with a physician and surgeon.
(2) Refer a client to a physician and surgeon.
(3) Transfer a client to a hospital.