Crisp County welcomes first midwife

Published 4:13 pm Friday, July 29, 2016

By BECKY CRISSMAN

becky.crissman@cordeledispatch.com

CORDELE — Crisp Regional Health Services welcomes Certified Nurse Midwife Sharon Pierce to their staff, the first midwife in Crisp County’s History.

Pierce hails from Lee County and has been employed as a midwife for the last 14 years.

“Cordele has been very welcoming,” she said. “I am excited to be here and ready to start delivering babies again.”

Pierce said she quit counting a couple of years ago, but she has delivered over 2,600 babies during her career thus far.

She received her midwife training from Frontier School of Midwifery in Hyden, Kentucky. Pierce earned her Two-Year Associates Degree from Darton College of Albany, Georgia and her Bachelor’s Degree from Thomas University in Thomasville, Georgia, She also holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. She is certified through the American Midwifery Certification Board which governs midwives around the country and handles nationwide testing.

Before attending school she worked as a Neonatal Nurse in the NICU at Phoebe Putney in Albany.

“I decided to pursue my education because I figured I would have the best of both worlds,” she said. “I would get to deliver babies and help expectant mothers during their pregnancy. I thought maybe if I can help educate those women on the changes in their bodies it might help prevent some of those poor outcomes and NICU admissions after birth.

“As a midwife I have the luxury of being able to spend more time with a patient,” she said. “I am able to help educate the patient, assist them with proper nutrition tips, and normal discomforts that come with pregnancy. Plus being a woman I have a better understanding of what they are going through.”

Pierce says she always has a backup physician in case of emergencies or other needs. She is backed up by the physicians with the Women’s Center which is next door to the Crisp Regional OB/GYN suite where her office is located. However she is certified to do most anything a regular physician can with the exception of performing surgery.

Pierce wants potential patients to know that being a midwife is more than just birthing babies. Her office focuses on complete women’s health no matter what stage of life.

“Adding the midwife office is just the first step to providing a complete women’s center for Crisp and surrounding counties,” she said. “My credentials are the same as a nurse practitioner. We handle complete women’s health because many women use their OB/GYN as their primary care provider.”

Pierce says the office handles birth control, hormone replacement, irregular cycles, and anything a physician takes care of. She says educating patients is very important.

“Educating the patient is important so they understand the changes that are going on with their bodies,” said Pierce. “It is also important to educate the family. A good support system is also important for a patient.”

Pierce said she is looking forward to the future with Crisp Regional Health Services and wants potential patients to know they can make an appointment by contacting the Women’s Center at (229)276-3038. The Women’s Center is located at 116 East 4th Avenue in Cordele.