A Senate committee heard testimony today on a bill that would legalize midwifery in Missouri.

The bill’s proponents say women should have more birthing options and that lay midwives should be able to practice legally with private accreditation.

Under current law, midwifery is limited to certified nurse midwives, who must work in partnership with doctors.

“It’s really silly to think that one type of birth could fit all women,” said Susan Renoe, the president of the Columbia Community Birth Center, which assists women with natural childbirth.

Several doctors groups argue that the legislation would harm public safety.

David Redfern, an obstetrician/gynecologist from Springfield, said several proposals would make the bill better.

Redfern said he would like to see widwives be required to sign a collaborative practice agreement with doctors and hold medical insurance. He argued that midwives should have an agreement with area hospitals, because one in 10 women who chose natural birth end up having complications.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to identify that hospital ahead of time?” he asked.

The committee heard testimony on two midwifery bills, both sponsored by Sen. John Loudon-R-Chesterfield. One bill, SB 1021, would legalize midwifery, and the other, SB 870, removes a passage he inserted last session that angered many legislators.

The provision authorized people to provide birthing services if they hold “tocological certification.” According to medical dictionaries, “tocology” is the science of obstetrics and midwifery, derived from the Greek word “tokos,” meaning childbirth.

As a result of the provision, Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons, R-Kirkwood, removed him as chairman of the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industrial Relations Committee. As part of the deal between the two lawmakers, Loudon regained his chairmanship if he would push for a repeal of the tocology provision.

The hearing ended prematurely, though committee chairman Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, said it would probably be continued next week.

Crowell spoke on behalf of the bills because Loudon was out of the Captiol Wednesday afternoon on a family emergency.

“Even those that support midwifery believe that SB 1021 is the better way to set up that service in the state of Missouri,” Crowell said.

Loudon’s office said he plans to combine the two bills before they are sent to the Senate floor. During the hearing, the possibility of combining the two bills was mentioned, though Loudon’s office said that is not his intention.

Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, said that combining the bills would be a mistake. Graham, one of the leading lawmakers opposed to the midwifery bill, said that tactic would not follow through on the commitment Loudon made with Gibbons.

Graham said SB 870 would probably be unnecessary because he believes the state Supreme Court would uphold a lower court’s decision to strike the provision from state law.

Arguments in that case are slated for early March.

UPDATE: Loudon’s office said on Monday that he does *not* intend to combine the two midwifery bills.