North Carolina General Statutes § 90-178.2 Definitions

As used in this Article:

(1)        "Interconceptional care" includes but is not limited to:

a.         Family planning;

b.         Screening for cancer of the breast and reproductive tract; and

c.         Screening for and management of minor infections of the reproductive organs;

(2)        "Intrapartum care" includes but is not limited to:

a.         Attending women in uncomplicated labor;

b.         Assisting with spontaneous delivery of infants in vertex presentation from 37 to 42 weeks gestation;

c.         Performing amniotomy;

d.         Administering local anesthesia;

e.         Performing episiotomy and repair; and

f.          Repairing lacerations associated with childbirth.

(3)        "Midwifery" means the act of providing prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn and interconceptional care. The term does not include the practice of medicine by a physician licensed to practice medicine when engaged in the practice of medicine as defined by law, the performance of medical acts by a physician assistant or nurse practitioner when performed in accordance with the rules of the North Carolina Medical Board, the practice of nursing by a registered nurse engaged in the practice of nursing as defined by law, or the rendering of childbirth assistance in an emergency situation.

(4)        "Newborn care" includes but is not limited to:

a.         Routine assistance to the newborn to establish respiration and maintain thermal stability;

b.         Routine physical assessment including APGAR scoring;

c.         Vitamin K administration; and

d.         Eye prophylaxis for opthalmia neonatorum.

(5)        "Postpartum care" includes but is not limited to:

a.         Management of the normal third stage of labor;

b.         Administration of pitocin and methergine after delivery of the infant when indicated; and

c.         Six weeks postpartum evaluation exam and initiation of family planning.

(6)        "Prenatal care" includes but is not limited to:

a.         Historical and physical assessment;

b.         Obtaining and assessing the results of routine laboratory tests; and

c.         Supervising the use of prenatal vitamins, folic acid, iron, and nonprescription medicines. (1983, c. 897, s. 1; 1995, c. 94, s. 30.)

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Last modified: March 23, 2014