Palmetto Association of Licensed Midwives

10/07/2026

🚨 𝑾𝑬 𝑯𝑨𝑽𝑬 𝑻𝑾𝑶 𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲𝑺 𝑻𝑶 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑻𝑬𝑪𝑻 𝑴𝑰𝑫𝑾𝑰𝑭𝑬𝑹𝒀 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑰𝑹𝑻𝑯 𝑪𝑯𝑶𝑰𝑪𝑬 𝑰𝑵 𝑺𝑶𝑼𝑻𝑯 𝑪𝑨𝑹𝑶𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑨. 🚨

𝐓𝐨 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡:

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩. 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞.

If this legal fight is not successfully defended, the outcome could establish a precedent for how the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) interprets and enforces its authority over regulated midwifery practice. That could potentially lead to a 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬, affecting midwives, collaborating physicians, birth centers, and ultimately the ability of South Carolina families to choose midwifery care.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐧𝐨𝐰.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has taken actions against midwives and has also begun taking action involving physicians who provide collaboration that help ensure safe midwifery care.

These actions raise important questions about how South Carolina's existing midwifery regulations are being interpreted and enforced—and what those interpretations could mean for the future of midwifery and birth choices in our state.

⚖️ 𝐀 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬, and because of the significance of the issues involved, among other decisions, it may ultimately reach the 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭.

This is bigger than one midwife.

It is about protecting an entire profession.

It is about protecting the physicians willing to provide appropriate services to our families.

And it is about protecting the ability of South Carolina families to choose a licensed midwife as part of their birth care.

💜 𝑾𝑬 𝑵𝑬𝑬𝑫 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑯𝑬𝑳𝑷
PALM — the 𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒊𝒅𝒘𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 — is raising funds to help cover the significant legal expenses associated with these fights.

Midwifery regulations are highly specialized, and finding an attorney who understands the complex relationship between 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐰, 𝐃𝐏𝐇 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥.

Your donation will help provide the legal resources necessary to:
⚖️ Defend South Carolina midwives
👩‍⚕️ Support physicians who collaborate with midwives
🏡 Protect access to community birth options
📚 Ensure midwifery regulations are properly understood and applied by professionals in the field
🛡️ Support ongoing court cases and future legal needs

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

Whether you can give $10, $25, $50, $100, or more, your contribution helps strengthen the ability of South Carolina's midwives and their supporters to have experienced legal representation during this critical time.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐏𝐇.

💜 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭.

💜 𝐍𝐨𝐰, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

“𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔.”

💜 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝, 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬…

💜 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬…

💜 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞…

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲.

Please 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭. Our voices—and our support—matter.

06/08/2026

🗳️ VOTE THIS TUESDAY! 🗳️The future of birth choice and professional midwifery in South Carolina is on the line, and your vote this Tuesday matters more than ever!

As the Palmetto Association of Licensed Midwives, our mission has always been to protect Sound Midwifery Practice, advocate for regulatory due process, and ensure South Carolina families retain the right to choose how and where they give birth. But we can’t do it alone—we need champions in the SC Statehouse who truly understand and respect our profession.

We are proud to stand with Rep. Craig Gagnon and Sen. Luke Rankin, the crucial sponsors of the Perinatal Integration Act. This vital legislation protects families by providing streamlined access to higher levels of care and medical consultation for midwifery consumers in the event that non-low-risk conditions arise.

These leaders have consistently shown up to defend midwifery autonomy, secure safer care pathways, and protect maternal health options in our state. Now, it’s our turn to show up for them at the polls.Let’s protect the integrity of our profession and the rights of SC families. See you at the polls! 🇺🇸

05/12/2026

MIDWIVES FIGHT BACK: The First-of-Its-Kind Legal Move to Save SC Birth Choice~The recent legal battle between South Carolina midwives and the Department of Public Health (DPH) has taken a significant turn. Following a contentious session in the South Carolina Administrative Law Court (SCALC), the Ethics, Competency, and Performance Committee (ECPC) has officially moved to intervene.
FULL STORY: https://www.carolinawaterbirth.com/post/midwives-fight-back-the-first-of-its-kind-legal-move-to-save-sc-birth-choice

This case, which began as a trial against an individual midwife, has evolved into a high-stakes defense of midwifery autonomy and regulatory due process. At the heart of the conflict is a push by the DPH to impose hospital-based standards on out-of-hospital births—specifically regarding fetal monitoring.

The Role of the ECPC: Demanding Regulatory Compliance
The ECPC has stepped forward as the representative organization for midwifery in the state to address what it describes as a critical procedural failure. During testimony at the SCALC, the committee highlighted that the midwife in question was denied an internal peer review process, which is a mandatory regulation in South Carolina.

Why Procedural Integrity Matters:

Exhaustion of Remedies: State protocol dictates that all internal professional processes and reviews must be exhausted before DPH or government agencies can send citations to the Administrative Law Court.

Expertise in Oversight: Moving forward, the ECPC is seeking to have the case remanded back to the DPH for a "Best Practice Review." This would ensure the case is evaluated by professionals with clinical birth experience, rather than a single ALC judge who may lack the specialized background required to judge midwifery care.

Preserving Legal Claims: The intervention motion was accompanied by an Amicus Curiae brief describing the DPH’s failures and the ongoing conflict between ACOG standards and Sound Midwifery Practice (SMP). These filings are designed to preserve the ECPC’s claim on the outcome and allow for future filings if the court reaches a non-desirable decision.

Understanding the Conflict: ACOG vs. Sound Midwifery Practice
The DPH’s current position is that midwives must adhere strictly to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) standards. However, midwives argue that Sound Midwifery Practice (SMP) provides a more appropriate framework for out-of-hospital births.

A primary point of contention is the DPH’s claim that there is no reliable way to assess fetal well-being without Continuous Fetal Monitoring (CFM). This assertion directly challenges long-standing midwifery practices:

Feature

ACOG Standards (Hospital-Based)

Sound Midwifery Practice (Community-Based)

Monitoring

Emphasizes continuous electronic fetal monitoring.

Utilizes intermittent auscultation (listening at intervals).

Environment

Designed for high-intervention hospital settings.

Tailored to natural, low-intervention environments.

Mobility

Often limits mother's movement due to equipment.

Encourages mobility to aid labor progress.

Why Continuous Fetal Monitoring is Controversial
While CFM is standard in many hospitals, it is not without risks. Research indicates that continuous monitoring in low-risk pregnancies can lead to:

Increased Interventions: Higher rates of cesarean sections and instrumental deliveries.

False Positives: Alarms that may not indicate a real problem, leading to unnecessary stress.

Reduced Patient Choice: Restricting the birthing person's ability to move or use water for pain management.

The Impact on Midwives and Families
If the DPH’s position prevails, it could set a dangerous precedent where midwives are judged by standards designed for surgeons rather than the specialized care they are trained to provide. This pressure could force midwives out of practice, significantly reducing access to birth choices for South Carolina families—especially in rural or underserved areas.

How You Can Support Midwifery Rights
The outcome of this intervention will shape the future of birth choice in our state. To help protect the profession and ensure your voice is heard, please take the following steps:

Advocate for Peer Review: Support the ECPC's demand that midwives be evaluated by those with actual clinical birth experience, ensuring fair and knowledgeable oversight.

Stay Informed: Follow updates on the ECPC’s filings and the progress of the SCALC hearing to stay current on legal developments (Follow Palmetto Association of Licensed Midwives, Join the private group Consumers Unite for SC Midwives.

Contact Your Representatives: Send a respectful email to your local state representatives and the South Carolina Attorney General. Let them know you value diverse, safe birth options and the preservation of Sound Midwifery Practice.

Target Key Committees: Direct outreach is especially vital for the following committees overseeing healthcare and regulatory efficiency:

Senate Medical Affairs Committee: Contact Chairman Danny Verdin to urge support for midwifery autonomy.

House Government Efficiency and Legislative Oversight Committee: Reach out to Chairman Jeff Johnson regarding the DPH’s failure to follow mandatory peer-review protocols.

The ECPC’s intervention is a stand for the integrity of the profession. It is a demand that the law be followed and that midwifery expertise be respected.

Potential Email Template: Support for Midwifery Rights and Regulatory Oversight
Click here to get the email address to help: https://www.carolinawaterbirth.com/post/midwives-fight-back-the-first-of-its-kind-legal-move-to-save-sc-birth-choice

05/07/2026

Protection Isn’t Optional Anymore.

SLED agents at a client's door? It’s happening. The landscape for South Carolina midwives and doulas is shifting, and the pressure is mounting.

If you feel like you’re practicing in the shadows, it’s time to turn on the light. We are bringing in Paul Golden (the Midwife Mediator) to teach us how to direct our clients toward safety and protect our livelihoods.

Midwives, doulas, and concerned consumers—this is for all of us. Because an allegation is not evidence, and fear is not a strategy.

To register, email your name and role to [email protected]

LEARN MORE ABOUT PAUL (we think he's awesome).
https://www.youtube.com/

https://www.goldlearning.com/component/k2/item/762-paul-golden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqFLi1qa4Io

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHaSemnmgFI

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/442-allegations-are-not-evidence-with-paul-golden-a/id1552816683?i=1000739489483

https://midwifemediator.gumroad.com/

05/05/2026

Happy International Midwives Day :)
The Midwifery Advisory Council - M.A.C has posted new PUBLIC NOTICE. Follow the MAC for updates on Midwifery Standards of Care in South Carolina. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579069835592

05/04/2026

The MAC meets today. Join in to see updates on recent DPH activity and the midwifery response. Don't forget that you can now see the MAC minutes and position statements here too: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579069835592
May the fourth be with you.
. https://dph.sc.gov/news/midwife-advisory-council-meet-monday-may-4-2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:April 30, 2026COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Midwifery Advisory Council will meet Monday, May 4, at 2 p.m. at the State of South Carolina Health Campus, Conference Room A114, 400 Otarre Parkway, Cayce. The agenda and link to virtually view the meeting are available on the meeting event...