By Alan Van Ormer
Tribune editor

To help raise awareness about a need to change state law to authorize Certified Professional Midwives to practice legally in South Dakota, a local mother will join others to walk four miles in Dell Rapids on Aug. 26.
Ronda Kvigne, who traveled to Minnesota to have her third child delivered under the care of a Certified Professional Midwife, will be one of at least 50-100 people that are expected to join Debbie Pease on the four-mile walk.
“Women need more options,” Kvigne said. “I wanted to have a home birth, but there was no one out there for me.”
Debbie Pease, who for the last three years has approached the South Dakota State Legislature to change the law to authorize Certified Professional Midwives, who are specially trained to provide out-of-hospital maternity care, to practice legally, will walk four miles in 11 different communities across the state to raise awareness and to excite people within the community to join her in the endeavor.
The tour starts on Friday in Spearfish and ends in Sioux Falls on Aug. 27. On Aug. 26, Pease will be walking with others around Dell Rapids City Park. The walk starts at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude with refreshments and an informational rally at the city park.
“I hope to raise money to support lobbying efforts and to make the public aware of what is going on,” Pease said. She said she chose Dell Rapids because she knew of at least 25 families in the area who are supportive of home midwives.
“We want to make it legal so that midwives can work in health within communities,” Pease said.
Kvigne supports the efforts. She began researching after having her second child was born and realized how many interventions were happening.
“There were a lot of unnecessary interventions,” she said. “(During my third child’s birth) the baby was with me all of the time.”
Pease said some women are terrified of hospitals.
“The research consistently shows that Certified Professional Midwives have excellent outcomes at significantly reduced costs,” Pease said in a news release announcing her walking tour.
“My hope is that the incredible outpouring of energy generated by the Walk for Midwives will compel policy makers in South Dakota to take notice and to recognize the need to change our laws so that families in our own state have access to the safe, proven and cost-effective care offered by Certified Professional Midwives.”
According to Pease’s press release, 26 states have passed legislation.
An additional 18 states are pending legislation, the press release states.