Mayor Menino To Proclaim May 24 Boston Nurse-Midwifery Day At ACNM's Inaugural Women's Health Expo

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 22 May 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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The Women's Health Expo at the Hynes Convention Center on Saturday, May 24, will begin at 10 a.m. with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and an official proclamation declaring May 24 as Boston Nurse-Midwifery Day. Hosted by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), the Women's Health Expo is a free event for Boston women and their families.

"Addressing the issues of healthcare in Boston is a top priority of my administration," says Mayor Menino. "Our city is home to some of the best healthcare facilities in the nation and by working together, we can better serve the people of our neighborhoods and the surrounding communities. I am pleased that Boston will be the first city to host this conference."

Nurse-midwives have been a vital and growing part of the advancement of women's health in Boston since 1977 and are collectively responsible for 13% of all births in Massachusetts. The Women's Health Expo will give Boston area women the opportunity to interact with local nurse-midwives and to access the latest information in women's health.

"We're proud to host the first Women's Health Expo in the city of Boston," says ACNM President Kitty Ernst, CNM, MPH, DSc (HON), FACNM. "It is our hope that this event will encourage local women to take an active role in their health care decisions and to take advantage of the valuable services offered by nurse-midwives."

Following the ribbon cutting at 10 a.m., participants will have access to:

- Free health screenings
- Book signings
- "Ask Me" booths staffed by nurse-midwives
- A Healthy Living Theater
- Free Film Festival and Birth Symposium
- Giveaways
- Over 100 vendors showcasing women's health care products and services

While most people strongly associate midwifery purely with childbearing, the more than 11,000 certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the U.S. provide a broad range of health care services for women across the lifespan. The Women's Health Expo is Boston's connection to the women's health expertise of certified nurse-midwives. For more information about nurse- midwives and the Women's Health Expo, visit here.

With roots dating to 1929, the American College of Nurse-Midwives is the oldest women's health care association in the U.S. ACNM's mission is to promote the health and well-being of women and newborns within their families and communities through the development and support of the profession of midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives. Midwives believe every individual has the right to safe, satisfying health care with respect for human dignity and cultural variations. More information about ACNM can be found at http://www.midwife.org.

American College of Nurse-Midwives