AUGUSTA -- Midwives hoping to be licensed by the state said Wednesday they will continue to push for licensing legislation despite a state report that recommends against it.

The state Department of Professional and Financial Regulation recently released a report that concludes creating a new license for the state's 22 certified professional midwives is unnecessary.

The report, known as a sunrise review, considers whether "public safety and health are jeopardized by the absence of state regulation."

"The department concludes that a case has not been made that public health and safety is jeopardized by the unlicensed practice of midwifery by (certified professional midwives) or any other midwife in the state of Maine," the report concludes.

When a group of certified professional midwives came to the Legislature last year to ask for licensure, they said a license would give them more legitimacy in the medical field, and would allow them to legally carry a limited number of medicines to help mothers when they give birth.

The midwives want legal permission to carry and administer drugs to help with bleeding; anesthetics, in case stitches are needed; and oxygen, said Ellie Daniels, who runs Morningstar Midwifery in Belfast.

As it is now, "we obtain them in a variety of other-than-legal routes," she said.

Daniels, who along with another midwife attends 26 to 30 home births a year, said she doesn't understand why the state does not want to license them. "Do they want to wait for something unsafe to happen?" she said. The issue of whether these types of midwives should be licensed will come before a legislative committee again in March. That's when the Legislature's Business, Research and Economic Development Committee will consider the results of the sunrise review.

Rep. Nancy Smith, D-Monmouth, who sponsored the licensing bill, said midwives and mothers made a strong case for licensing at last year's public hearing. "Even with what the report is recommending, I'm inclined to support licensing of midwives," said Smith, who serves as House chairwoman of the business committee.

Smith said she did not know how common it is for a legislative committee to ignore the advice of the state in these types of reviews. But she acknowledged it makes it more difficult for legislation to pass.

"It complicates the discussion to have a lot of people who support licensing and have (the department) people not in support," she said.

Gordon Smith of the Maine Medical Association, which represents more than 2,000 Maine physicians, said it's expensive to create a licensing system for only 22 people.

He said doctors and hospitals want to establish a better relationship with midwives, and that doesn't require putting a licensing system in place.

"This is part of a national movement to enhance the respect accorded to people who have chosen to practice outside medicine," he said. "I do not believe passing legislation will enhance relationships. In fact, it will severely harm them."

In addition to the midwives who are seeking to be licensed, there's another category of midwives in Maine who are already licensed: More than 90 certified nurse midwives are licensed by the state as nurses. They would not be affected by the proposed changes. Midwife Heidi Filmore-Patrick, of Bridgton, said midwives will continue to work with lawmakers to move forward with licensing despite the department's recommendation.

"We're all disappointed and confused by the decision," she said. "The state needs to figure out a way to integrate us into the maternity care system."

Susan Cover -- 623-1056

scover@centralmaine.com