Episode #12: Consumerism, Coding, and C-Sections: Navigating the Future of Maternity Care

Join hosts Ginger and Denise for a probing and extraordinarily fun hour with OB/GYN Dr. Neel Shah. Together they will take you on the rapidly shifting landscape of maternal healthcare, discussing everything from the rise of C-sections and the true cost of care to the vital role of midwives. The discussion moves to the unknown healthcare industry's changing tides including forecasts about new OB coding, the rise of direct-to-consumer healthcare, and how consumerism is reshaping patient expectations. But this episode isn't just about the challenges— if you follow us, it's a forward-looking exploration of what is ‘possible’. Neel highlights the innovative strategies and advancing technologies that are driving real improvement in the field. From AI-driven evidence-based research and better predictability for pre-eclampsia, to the integration of Ambient Listening and the transition from Up-to-Date to Open Evidence. We know you will be challenged to think about how these tools shape your delivery of healthcare. Favorite Podcast Neel’isms, "Modern midwifery requires working against the grain," and “Midwives see color when everyone else sees black and white." If you are looking for a thoughtful, deeply insightful conversation that balances systems critique with genuine hope for the future of maternal care, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Vital Statistics Births provisional data for 2025. Report No. 43, April 2026.  https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr043.pdfHeartland Forward HHS Collaboration to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes. May 2026. https://heartlandforward.org/new-heartland-forward-hhs-collaboration-aims-to-improve-maternal-health-outcomes/Co-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026