Participants Needed for Birth Certificate Accuracy Survey

Participants Needed for Birth Certificate Accuracy Survey

The Improving Midwifery Birth Numbers California Survey is aimed at estimating the number of CNM/CM-attended births in California in 2017 and 2018. This survey is being conducted in collaboration with the California Nurse-Midwives Association and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative. 

A similar survey was conducted in Texas by Dr. Erin Biscone et al. in 2017 and demonstrated that CNM-attended births were underreported in the birth certificate data by 65%. As part of an ACNM Division of Research initiative, similar surveys are in process in other states.

The survey asks participants to provide:

1. The number of CNM-attended births in their hospital or birth center in 2017 and 2018. If CNMs do not track their own delivery numbers, we are asking for the number of vaginal births in your hospital for those years.

2. How many CNM FTEs are in the practice site.

3. Identify your facility’s birth certificate policies as to whose name is gets put on the birth certificate; if you do not know, just say so and don’t delay returning your survey. If you find out later, you can email Adrienne or Mary Barger.

The number of births reported by the practice site will be compared to the number of births reported in the birth certificate data. The survey team will use the number of CNM FTEs to extrapolate data if practices do not collect their own birth numbers.

The survey team will disseminate the results to CNMs throughout California in aggregate form. For participating CNM practices, the survey team will generate a report for the practice’s use if a discrepancy is noted between practice-reported birth numbers and birth certificate numbers. 

The survey will remain open until July 5, 2019.

CNMs who are interested in participating in the survey can contact Adrienne Almada at adrie.almada@csu.fullerton.edu or CALL (323) 687-4221.