The top headline on the Chronicle’s website is that a husband had to deliver a baby at home because there wasn’t time for a midwife to come or for him to take his wife to the hospital. (The midwife was consulted over the phone.)

Although the midwife didn’t take a hands-on role, I think this news item supports the case for midwives. Like it or not, some babies are going to be born outside of hospitals. It’s futile to legislate an ideal world in which every baby is born under just the right conditions.

Since we know that births do happen in homes, it makes sense to allow midwives to charge money for their services, increasing the likelihood that someone will be on hand at a home birth. I’m glad Missouri law permits the practice of midwifery.