Midwifery care for women with human immunodeficiency virus disease in pregnancy. A demonstration project at the Johns Hopkins Hospital

Nurse-midwives at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, in conjunction with their colleagues in obstetrics, pediatrics, and infectious disease, are participating in a demonstration project designed to provide continuity of care for women with HIV disease in pregnancy. In the past 19 months, 73 women have been enrolled in the project. This article describes how the midwifery model of care has been integrated into the existing system of routine obstetric care and specialized HIV-related care at the institution. This project could serve as a model for others who are redesigning health care delivery systems to include more nurse-midwives, especially those who are trying to adapt to an ever-increasing number of women experiencing some phase of HIV disease during their pregnancy. A companion article explains the midwifery and medical protocols used in the project and discusses other clinically relevant issues.