Bloomington Consumers for Birth Choices is a newly formed group of concerned women's health and pediatric consumers that has this purpose: to increase options for midwifery care in Bloomington.

At this time, consumers expecting children in our innovative city have no options for midwifery care in a hospital or birth center setting.

We are distressed by this lack and seek, with this letter, to begin a conversation with our city's medical leaders about this unfilled need in our community. Our aim is to achieve a network of fully supported certified nurse midwives (CNMs).

CNMs working in collaborative practices with obstetrician-gynecologists

• is common in cities comparable in size and culture to Bloomington, with regional medical centers as active as ours
• reflects the values set forth IU Health's vision and mission: total patient care, quality of care, leadership in health promotion and wellness, objective evidence and established best practices, innovation and excellence
• is recommended as a best practice by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which states in its 2011 Collaborative Practice Statement: Ob-Gyns working collaboratively with midwives is a way to address the gap between the supply of Ob-Gyns and the demand for women's health services. As a result, access to health care will be greatly improved.
• will attract and support families relocating to Bloomington for jobs at Indiana University and local businesses
• is a long-term investment in families' fidelity to the hospital, providing high patient satisfaction, positive outcomes for mother and child and smooth transitions that families appreciate forever.

We would love to engage Bloomington healthcare leadership in further conversation about this unmet healthcare need and how together, we can better support local families.

All the best,
the families of

Bloomington Consumers for Birth Choices

***Please contact Bloomington Consumers for Birth Choices at bloombirthchoices@gmail.com for additional information and questions. We plan to send this letter, with collected signatures, to IU Health CEO, Daniel Evans, Jr., and other healthcare professionals in the Bloomington area. Thank you for your support.